Life Is But A Game
by ZFighter18
Summary: There are things everyone understands about life. Life is chaotic, messy, and it doesn't give a damn about what you want or need. Even in a world that would be considered fictional, this idea still holds true. Dropped into a world of demigods and incredible monsters, one young boy has to face the fact that his wants and needs matter even less than they did before. (Gamer SI)
1. Genesis 1-1

**Genesis 1.1**

 **December 7, 2010  
**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

"LET ME OUT!"

His fists slammed against the cold metal, the sound reverberating inside the container with every single hit. Over and over again, he threw the force of his body against the side of the container, hoping that this time - _this time, this time, this time -_ it would tip over.

"SOMEBODY! HELP!"

He wanted to get out. He needed to get out. The filth, the feeling… he couldn't stand it. He had to get clean.

Filth-ridden fluid, oily and greasy, clotted with lumps of things he couldn't even bring himself to imagine, dripped down his face and chest. He didn't bother wiping trying to wipe it away, the fact that his clothes and limbs were even filthier than his face was rendered that plan pointless. His shoes were long discarded, the liquid pooled in them making them a chore to wear and a disgusting haven for _so many… so many disgusting things_. He was almost part of the trash now, his freshly pressed khakis stained beyond belief, joined by his baby blue uniform polo.

 _Disgusting. Filthy. Trash._

"GUYS!"

The smell didn't even need mentioning. In fact, as long as he had been in here, he barely even noticed the stench of putrid, rotten garbage anymore, too busy focused on screaming his throat raw and begging for someone - _anyone_ \- to help him get out. The gagging noises he made, the sounds that came from his throat to interrupt his shouts, those weren't from the smell. At least, he doubted it. No, they came from the taste of filth _in his mouth._

How long had it been?

Too long.

"COME ON!"

Lunch had to be over by now.

What was it, now? Thirty, maybe forty minutes since they had tossed him in here.

He didn't even know what he did.

He had been walking to the bathroom, away from the watchful eyes of the lunch monitors, eager to get a chance to play. Eating his food as fast as he could wasn't a problem. It wasn't like cafeteria food was anything to savor, anyway. All he was waiting for was a chance to slip away and pull out his games, the ones he had waiting for him in his pockets.

Not too long after he walked out the side entrance of the cafeteria, they had surrounded him.

One smashed a fist into his face, nearly rocking him off his feet. Another slapped a hand over his mouth, grabbing him before he could fall to the hard linoleum floor. The third grabbed his legs, hauling him up and pushing open a side exit leading to the school parking lot on the west side of the campus. He tried to struggle, his efforts futile against the strength of three far stronger, far bigger people than he was. He knew it but he tried anyway, a fist to the stomach serving as all the warning he needed to stop.

By their faces and height, they had to be seniors. Thing is, he didn't know any seniors and he doubted any seniors knew him. His social circle was small, filled with people whose names he barely knew but still… they _tolerated_ him. What else would you call what they did? The fact that they let him hang around them even if he did stare too long and smile for no reason had to mean something.

"IT'S COLD OUT HERE!"

So… _why?_

"IT'S NOT FUNNY ANYMORE!"

Why did they throw him in here? The dumpster was one of the older ones that the school still possessed, for whatever reason. Entirely metal, and nearly rusted beyond belief. Yet, they still used it. Or, they claimed to at least. It was rarely emptied and the custodians often forgot about it given its placement near the parking lot.

"I CAN'T BREATHE IN HERE!"

The seniors had shaken everything out of his pockets. His money, his ID, his inhaler, his _games._ They had clattered against the asphalt, black and white cases scratching slightly as they hit the ground. Laughing, the three of them had stomped on his prized possesions, happily breaking them while he watched. When they finished, they threw the shattered pieces in there with him. In less than a minute, they had slammed down the top of his cage and latched it tight, not even caring about the cold, the filth, _him._

In the dark - the stench of weeks of garbage left to rot making his nose and eyes water - he couldn't see them. Still, he knew they were there.

His own money. Months of saving.

 _Months of work._

Someone had put them up to this.

"GUYS!"

Someone he knew.

He had screamed himself hoarse for so long, his voice raspier than it had ever been at this point.

"PLEASE!"

So many students walking through the corridor with a window staring right out at the parking lot, people he shared classes with undoubtedly and not one of them even bothering to check where he was.

"PLEASE!"

 _They saw them do it!_ He screamed in his head, pounding against the side of the dumpster with what remained of his strength, the screams in his head only amplified by the screams from his throat. _You all saw them!_

Why would they do this to him?

"SOMEBODY!"

He was only thirteen.

A freshman at thirteen. Did they hate him for that? Of course they did. They always did. Every single year, they hated him for it. Ever since second grade, when the five year old walked in. They looked at him like he didn't belong. Like he was _nothing._

"IT'S SO COLD!"

New tears built up in his eyes, tears of anger. Tears of hate.

The boy slumped against the back of the dumpster, sinking into a throne of putrid filth, his body far too tired to continue his fight. The cold ate at his strength, draining him of whatever will he possessed to keep going. The pain in his fists warmed him though, the liquid running down them - pouring out with every single hit - even more so.

He hated them.

He always hated them. All of them.

The students. The teachers. Security, even.

All of them.

They let things like this happen.

People messing with his things. Pushing him, prodding him.

He hated all of them from the moment he saw them.

 _Everyone._

Bleeding hands slammed against rusted metal one more time, mouth open in a silent scream of rage as the sound reverberated in the enclosed space.

 _I wish they would all die._

A flash of light, bright and blinding as it lanced down from the sky, struck the ground with a corona of energy. As quickly as it appeared, the beam of light vanished, leaving nothing behind but boiling asphalt and the charred, melted remains of what was once a dumpster.

* * *

 **Hello, readers. This story is a psuedo-SI, featuring myself from 2010. Back then, I was 13 and wouldn't yet watch Young Justice until the next year in January. I was also kind of a little shit who liked to think he was edgy on the inside. You'll see what that means. With a character so torn from who I am now, this is more of an OC, but it's still me, you know.**


	2. Genesis 1-2

**Genesis 1.2**

 **June 17th, 2010**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

"Excuse me. Spare some change?

"Spare some ch… okay."

"Spare some change? Please…"

His back slumped against the wall as he fell against it, the kid closing his eyes in bitter disappointment as another person walked past him only to avert their eyes. He slipped down the wall, letting out a tired sigh as his butt met the concrete. As his hands fell to his sides, he let go of the crude sign he had been holding. The cardboard itself landed face up between his legs, the torn edges just brushing up against the threadbare hat he used to accept what little change people would give him.

 **SPARE CHANGE PLS?**

The people walking past him didn't even turn to acknowledge him or his sign, simply doing their best to avoid looking at him or getting too close to him as they passed him on the sidewalk. A part of him fumed at the purposeful avoidance, the fact that most of them wouldn't even drop a single quarter into his hat stoking the fire in his chest.

Even then, he couldn't blame them for not bothering to help. He wasn't singing or dancing or doing anything that could be considered entertaining enough to be worth their money. The boy knew that if he was on the other end, he wouldn't even look back with even the slight guilt or pity that was on many of their faces. Yet, it was those looks that made him all the angrier as he glanced at his overturned hat, it's content barely up to a few dollars in change. _If you feel bad, do something about it!_ His face curled down into a grimace as he stared at their retreating backs as they passed him to walk farther into the outlet mall. _Don't just look at me like you care when you obviously don't!_

He hated when people did stuff like that. They didn't want to admit they were self-centered and selfish like everybody else so they would lie to themselves, convincing themselves that they were good and generous when most of them would only give when they felt that they had almost no other choice, social and societal pressure almost making the choice for them. _Even grown-ups have to deal with peer pressure._ The kid snorted, brushing the bottom of his nose with a finger. _Stupid sheep._

The judgemental sneer disappeared off his prepubescent face, replaced by a practiced innocent smile as another group of people neared him. Lifting his head, the kid raised his sign on the off chance that they would actually look at him for longer than a moment. A moment later, his shoulders slumped as the same thing happened as always. Their conversation dimmed slightly as they caught sight of him, the group of friends (family?) speeding up their pace as they avoided looking directly at him.

The kid sighed and pushed his head back up against the brick wall behind him, his smile disappearing again. It wasn't like he didn't expect it, really. He stuck out like a sore thumb in this environment, compared to the wealthier, white people that frequented this shopping area. It was a conscious choice, his own decision and the sole reason he had made his way over here this morning. It was a drastic change from where he usually stood near downtown, the same spot he usually stood with this sign for… for…

The kid frowned. How long had he been like this?

Been _here?_

Two weeks? Three? It was hard to keep track of things like that without a calendar or anything like that. Not even feeling the need to think over it, he shrugged. _However long I've been in this city, I guess?_

He had hoped that in this slightly wealthier part of town, the people here would be more willing to part with their change. He had thought wrong, apparently. Rich people were, if anything, stingier than the average person, from what he could see.

Eyelids drooping slightly, he turned his head to track the next group of people as they entered the outlet mall, walking under the large arch that said "Hamburg Pavilion."

He blinked again, slowly, as he let out a sigh.

Hamburg Pavilion.

Lexington.

Kentucky.

The names rang hollow when he thought them or spoke them, lacking the sense of familiarity he would attribute to things he knew or places he'd lived. Places like Maryland and DC had that familiar ring though every single time the words came to mind, his faint memory telling him that he lived there at one point. That had been comforting, at first. Now, he doubted he'd find his home anywhere there, let alone anything to jog his memory.

No, even if he lived there, he doubted it was the same.

It wasn't as if he had any idea how he got here, in the first place. He had gone over that in his head for _days_ before he just decided to let go, his lack of substantial memories not telling him anything. Well, anything beyond vague hints about what he assumed his life was like and the strangeness of where he was now.

After all, a world where Superman was actually _real_ couldn't be the one he came from.

That one had knocked him for a loop when he realized it. A few days into his new life as a street rat and he found a newspaper as he dug through the trash looking for something to eat. He had almost tossed the paper over his shoulder but the headline made him freeze, startled by what it said.

" **Superman Apprehends Mad Scientist** "

Now, that didn't make any sense at all. Reading the whole thing to convince himself that it wasn't some type of prank, he received another shock when he realized where this newspaper came from. _The Daily Planet._ The entire day was like that, one shock after another. Hearing newscasters talk about Batman and Gotham City, a hotdog guy who would tell anyone who listened that he saw the Justice League when they first came together, and a friendly lady waiting for the bus who outright gushed about how Wonder Woman had been her role model her entire life; The boy wasn't sure at what point he accepted that he had been dropped into a comic book but eventually, he did.

Although, he was confused as to what kinda bizarro world this was. No one had heard of the Teen Titans, Wonder Woman had been around for like a hundred years or something, and Superman didn't have any trunks. There was no satellite base in space or on the moon, like he expected. Instead, there was some weird building he'd never heard of called the Hall of Justice that _anyone_ could just walk into. Hell, there was no Booster Gold, no Supergirl, no _Superboy._

That piece of information had actually stung. It just wasn't DC without Superboy, in his opinion. He didn't understand who could have picked him up and dropped him here in this crazy comic-book world. He didn't understand why they had messed with his head and messed with his memories. And most importantly, he didn't understand why Superman didn't have any trunks. It made no sense!

 _And it still doesn't._

A loud gurgling sound caught his attention, his hand moving to cradle his stomach as he felt it protest for lack of food. The kid frowned again as he leaned forward slightly, trying to ride out the uncomfortable sensation. He had gotten used to this kind of hunger over the last few weeks, even though he doubted he was ever this hungry before.

From what little he remembered, he knew for sure that his parents kept him fed, even allowing him slightly more food than was healthy for a boy his age. He couldn't even remember his dad but he had the stark feeling that his dad would be disgusted at the idea that his son would be hungry like this, to the point of begging random strangers for change.

The type of hunger where you went to sleep early simply because it was better than staying awake hungry. The type of hunger where your stomach felt like it was eating itself simply because there was so little inside it. The kid let out a groan as the pain in his stomach receded, thankful for it. Here, he had no parents, was stuck sleeping in shelters that would take him in for the night, and had no proof that he existed anywhere. At least, wherever he lived before, he had a _home._

"Damn it, if this is a dream, it sucks so _hard,_ " he muttered under his breath as another person walked by him with the same pitiful look that drove him up the wall. He was damn near starving, and all the money he had was barely enough to get him a cheap burger that would leave him hungry again in about an hour. _Man, I'm pretty sure germs were my biggest problem before and now, look at me._ The kid glanced down at his dirty clothes, the same ones he had worn for weeks on end, and closed his eyes. _I need a shower so bad._

"What's the point of being in a superhero universe without money and powers?" A choked sob spilled from his lips, interrupting his mini-rant, as his stomach curled in on itself again. "... I'm so tired of this."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that."

The kid's eyes shot open wide, his head almost smacking the wall as he jerked back. "Wha-"

In front of him stood an older woman, maybe in her early forties, with the type of bright, blond hair that the kid had never actually seen in person. She wore a bright blue thin sweater, the color seeming to match her personality judging by her bright smile. Her head tilted slightly, she stared down at him with a pitying smile that made him want to hit her.

Instead, he widened his eyes and stared back up at her, unsure of what to say to someone who actually bothered to talk to him, instead of just dropping spare change in his hat and walking away quickly. "Um… hello."

"Hello to you too," she responded, her voice almost a patronizing coo, almost like she was talking to a toddler. "Are you hungry, young man?"

The kid's eye twitched ever so slightly as his hand clenched around the " **SPARE CHANGE PLS?** " sign. _No, I'm out here, looking like this, because it's fun._

"Yes, ma'am," was what he said instead, his head working faster than his mouth. "C-could you spare some change?"

"Change?"The woman shook her head, looking at him like he gave the wrong answer to a question. "Oh no no no, young man, that won't do. That won't do at all."

"Oh." His teeth clenched tightly as he closed his mouth, fingers digging into the cardboard of his sign even tighter. _Why even talk to me, then? Why get my hopes up, you stupid, old b-_

"You'll never get anywhere living off change," she continued, unaware of the boy's growing internal rant against her. "Let's get you something to eat! As much as you want. How does that sound?"

The kid stared up at her, mouth open slightly as he tried to process her words. After a moment, he swallowed the saliva building up in his mouth at the thought of a full meal - _a real meal -_ for the first time in weeks. The woman's smile looked almost angelic right now, far from being patronizing, and the kid almost felt like hugging her, so overcome with thankfulness.

Restraining himself, the young boy just nodded rapidly.

"What would you like?"

This time, his mouth was faster than his head and he spoke without thinking, his mind focused on what he had been craving for weeks. "A burger."

She smiled again. "As many as you want." Her manicured hand clasped tightly around the top of her purse, the white bag still under one shoulder as she held out a hand for him to take.

The boy took her hand, his dark skin a contrast against her cream-colored complexion. His back scraping against the wall, he pulled himself up with only a slight groan and returned the woman's smile. _I guess everyone's not terrib-_

He didn't finish the thought as something slammed into him, knocking him into the wall with a powerful push. Hissing as his head struck brick, the boy's eyes snapped shut as the blinding pain pounded through his skull. Muttered curses spilled from his mouth as he pushed himself off the wall, and the kid blinked, watching as the kind woman went falling back against the ground, a scream on her lips.

"My purse!" Her hand flails in the air in the direction of the street leading away from the outlet mall, a hooded figure running full-tlt with a white purse in hand. Pushing aside people walking by him as he ran like a madman, the man rushed into the crowd of shoppers. "He stole my purse!"

"What?" The young boy's eyes widened in confusion as he realized what just happened. A moment later, they narrowed as he felt himself bristling with rage. _I was going to eat with that! That's my money!_

Without wasting a moment, the kid took off running after the guy, barely able to keep the thief in sight. Shoving aside the mall-goers as he pushed through the crowd, the young man continued to fume, brimming with a new kind of hate for someone that would basically steal food from his mouth. Pushing himself forward with a surge of energy that surprised him, as it seemingly came out of nowhere, he quickly found himself gaining on the criminal. "That was my meal ticket, dickhead!"

The man glanced over his shoulder at the shot, a dopey look on his face as he spotted the kid tearing after him, screaming at the top of his lungs. Wide-eyed and clearly confused, the thief jerked to the right, sprinting off towards the busy intersection.

"Jerk!" Not even stopping, the boy growled and pushed even harder as he forced himself to run faster than he ever had in the hopes of getting that free lunch. "You still have my money!" Running like a mad dog was at his heels, the purse snatcher tore into the intersection. The man nearly regretted his action as he narrowly avoided getting hit by a car immediately after, stumbling out of the way of an onrushing sedan as it's horns blared, the owner screaming a litany of profanities at the idiot who ran into the street.

Not too far behind, the boy sprinted faster than he ever had in what he could remember of his his short life, his lungs burning as he forced himself to keep moving as fast as he could. Sweat and blood dripping down his forehead, he forcefully shoved aside the few people waiting at the stoplight and tore into the intersection, the thief just scrambling to his feet after the near miss. Screaming at the top of his lungs, the kid leapt forward and tackled the criminal.

As angry as he was, the boy was only thirteen and had about as much mass as you would expect for a boy of that age who wasn't severely obese. Even with all his effort, the lunge only stumbled the criminal, the man recovering far quicker than the the kid could react, or even marvel at how ineffective his attempt was, something struck him in the chest, the force of it nearly lifting him off his feet with the sudden impact.

As the kid fell back onto the asphalt, the back of his head slammed against the ground and he let out a pained shout as the jarring pain seemed to reverberate through his head. Biting his lip rather than scream, the kid rolled over and pulled himself to his feet, one hand moving up instinctively to touch the back of his head.

 _He hurt me again!_ was the kid's first thought, his hand coming away red. _He hurt me_ _ **again**_ _!_ Strangely, it was also his second thought. Just like that, the kid lunged forward, anger guiding his actions once more.

Horns honked, the people in the cars screaming at the top of their lungs as traffic in one direction was forced to halt on their behalf. The other people still around, watching on the sidewalks, seemed to be cheering and shouting just as loud as the traffic-goers for some reason, some even bringing out their phones. Strangely, they didn't seem to pointing it towards the action, instead lifting it towards the sky.

The kid swung his small fist as hard as he could, not even noticing as a bright glow seemed to flare around his limb. The purse snatcher didn't miss it, however, and his eyes widened as he tried to back away, only to get trapped by the rushing traffic on the opposite side of the street.

The first hit slammed into the man's chest with far more force than the kid thought himself capable of, the man jerking back and letting out a loud yell as if someone had taken a bat to him. Lost in his own anger, he swung wildly at the thief, desperate to punish the man who would steal from _him_. As he raised his fist again, the kid blinked as he noticed a soft glow encase his hand, the sight drawing his attention as he struck again, fist sinking into the man's unguarded stomach. _What was tha…_

As the thug fell to the ground, the kid did the same, his knees painfully meeting the asphalt. His body screamed for air as his nostrils flared, his mouth open as he tried to inhale as much as possible. No matter how much he took in, his lungs protested his actions as he tried to pick himself back up. Every move he made seemed to drain the life from his body and he didn't understand why. Blinking rapidly, his head lolled on to his shoulders and he found the world shifting sideways, his body slowly tilting. _What's going onnnn…_

As suddenly as before, the kid's knees gave out on him and he found himself on the floor staring up at the sky, his eyelids feeling heavier and heavier with each passing moment. Before he could even try to force himself up again, the kid's eyes widened with what little strength they had left, shocked by what he was seeing. A silver man floated in the sky, his hands glowing brightly as he stared down at the two of them. However, his attention was suddenly drawn away as something appeared out of thin air, taking up space in his slowly darkening field of vision.

* * *

 **+25 XP**

 **+$375**

* * *

 **You have reached Level 1**

 **EXP: 0/250**

 **Health: 55/110**

 **Will: 0/45**

 **Mana: 60/60**

* * *

 **Skill Gained!**

 **Power Fist Lv 1**

 **Power Sprint Lv 1**

* * *

 _Wha…_ He blinked again, unsure of what he was seeing, flickering between the flying silver man and the blue words in front of him. For a moment, his mind was drawn to a cartoon he remembered from a long time ago. "Val-Y...?" Then, everything was dark.


	3. Genesis 1-3

**Genesis 1.3**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

He awoke to the sound of nothing.

No rats scurrying around his feet or in the walls to frighten him awake.

No street noises to frighten him out of his slumber.

No, for the first time in weeks, the boy woke up gently and peacefully, with nothing to disturb him and nothing giving him any urgent reason to move. As he opened his eyes fully, he sat up and stared around the room in silence, wondering why he felt like he knew where he was. Like a light bulb flickering on, he felt a moment of understanding, something in the back of his mind telling him that this was what a hospital room looked like. _A private one, at least._

He blinked in slight surprise at the thought, wondering what else he knew about hospitals. As far as he knew, he'd never been inside one and from what a few people told him in a homeless shelter, they were pretty expensive. Strangely enough, he found himself wondering why he felt so familiar with the idea of hospitals, especially private rooms. Did he spend much time in them? Was he often sick before?

As usual, the well of information had dried up and he received no other tidbits. Shrugging, he stopped trying to think about his past and simply stared forward, watching as people in blue uniforms - _scrubs_ , he remembered _-_ hurried past his door. The glass window on the door to this room provided him a relatively unobstructed view of the hallway, not that he cared much about what was going on outside anyway.

No, he was fine right where he was and had no desire to change that. The idea of getting up, let alone doing anything else, hadn't even come to him, the boy just content to relax in the warmth of a bed. The feeling of clean, soft sheets on an actual bed were almost too much, the feeling of actual comfort letting him feel relaxed for the first time in a while.

Other than that, his thoughts had drifted back to the last things he remembered before waking up here. The way his heart seemed to pound in his chest as he ran, the sweat dripping down his face and the bitter taste of blood in his mouth as he kept pushing himself. He hadn't run that fast or that hard before, as far as he could remember. Even running from creeps on the street hadn't forced a sudden burst of speed like that out of him, let alone maintaining it the way he did.

 _I did all that?_ He shook his head slowly, marvelling at his own actions. _I can't believe it._ Really, it was almost unbelievable. The idea that he could have managed to pull of even half of what he did should have been unthinkable, considering how beat he was. Hell, he was almost dead on his feet right before that and all of a sudden, he was punching a thief over some woman's purse. Granted, he wanted the money for himself, but still…

 _How did I even do it?_

Running that fast and that far? Getting up after having his head slammed into the ground? Taking on a grown man like that? He had been damn near starving, exhausted and already dazed and hurt from getting his head slammed into a wall but somehow, _somehow,_ he had ignored all that just to stop a bad guy. In the weeks since he woke up in a back alley somewhere in Kentucky, he hadn't ever fought anyone, content to run away from the criminals and creeps that roamed the streets. The fact that he was actually able to fight someone twice his size and age just didn't make sense. Even now, he

 _Wait,_ the kid thought to himself, blinking as he remembered the frenzied fight between him and the purse snatcher. _My hands… they were glowing during that fight. Every time I punched him._ He paused to flex his fingers, the memory coming back to him as he thought back to that exact moment. _Every single time._ "...I do have powers. Glowy hand powers that let me punch better" His grin faded slightly. "Not exactly winning the superpower lottery here."

 _Still, how?_ Things like that didn't happen, though. The kid pursed his lips, frowning slightly as he nodded along with his thoughts. After all, things like this only happened in movies, tv shows and…

"Comic books," he whispered, biting his lip as the words left his mouth. _I'm in a comic book world._ _ **I**_ _am in a comic book._ The boy took a deep gulp of air and closed his eyes, almost as if to let the thought properly sink in. Opening his eyes, he let the air out in a shuddering breath. _ **I**_ _am living_ _ **inside**_ a _comic book._

Of course he had realized that he was sharing a world with characters that he remembered watching and reading about weeks ago, but the reality of it - what it _really_ meant - was just now hitting him full force. Clenching his hands tightly into fists, he fought hard to suppress the manic grin growing across his face, trying his hardest to remain in control of himself. "Oh my god, it…" he paused to take in another breath, blinking rapidly. "It all makes sense now." A soft giggle burst out under his breath. _Amnesia, living on the streets, no parents, no…_

His grin slowly faded, replaced by a despondent look as he realized something else, something just as important. _No powers._ "I'm a comic book character... with pretty weak powers."

This was **not** good, emphasis on the " **not** " **.**

In a world full of giant apes, killer clowns and all sorts of superpowered baddies, people with weak powers and normal people just didn't mean anything, unless you were some kind of super martial arts specialist or something. Even then, you had to be like a billionaire and a main character to not get killed off in the comics for some reason.

The boy frowned, hand cupping his smooth chin. _Although, it might not be so bad._ Yeah, maybe he could snatch some super weapon and use it to protect himself. _Maybe._ All he had to do was figure out was where in the weird, wild DC Universe he was.

He knew for sure it wasn't anything he'd watched on television. No Watchtower and nobody having any knowledge of any superheroes in Jump City told him for sure that this wasn't Teen Titans or Justice League, Unlimited or the original one. From what one food cart salesman had told him, the man calling himself a superhero expert, there weren't any supers in Dakota City either and according to the guy, "they need someone down there to clean it up". That ruled out the Static Shock TV show, too.

"Either way, it doesn't really matter _where_ I am," he muttered to himself. "I have to figure out how these powers work first. Like, how do I even turn them on?"

 _Ping!_ The kid's eyes widened in surprise as a glowing screen suddenly appeared in his field of vision. A moment later, they widened even further, his eyes almost bulging as he read what was hanging in front of his face.

* * *

 **Mission Created!**

 **Tutorial: The Absolute Basics**

 **Details:** Say Menu.

 **Success:** 25 XP

* * *

 _...What._


	4. Genesis 1-4

**Genesis 1.4**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

Unsure of how to react to the strange image hanging in the air, the kid simply stared even as he tried to think about what he was seeing. Namely, why he was seeing an RPG text box in the first place. _I'm not hallucinating, right? I'm not crazy. I'm_ _ **not.**_ He bit his lip, confused as to what to actually do here with something as odd as this _literally_ staring him in the face. Even worse was the jarring recollection of seeing something exactly like this right before he passed out on the street.

 _Seriously, what is this?_

He could deal with barely having any memories.

He could deal with living on the streets.

Hell, he could even deal with living in a comic-book world and finding out he was a comic-book character, as well as the weirdness that came with _that_. Still, there was only so much weirdness he could take before his head exploded and a sudden game interface appearing out of nowhere was pretty damn weird.

 _Even weirder than glowing hands._

Blowing air out of his mouth, the kid did the only thing he could think of in this situation.

"Ow!"

He pinched himself.

-1

 _And I have HP too. This is just getting even worse._ The kid raised his hands in exasperation, just shrugging at the surreality of the situation. "You know what? Whatever, let me just…" He let out a deep sigh, slapping himself on the forehead. "Menu."

* * *

 **STATS**

 **PERKS**

 **SKILLS**

 **ABILITIES**

 **INVENTORY**

 **QUESTS**

* * *

 **Quest "Tutorial: The Absolute Basics" Success!**

Gained 25 xp.

* * *

As he finished reading it, the second text box vanished, the entire thing disappearing between eye blinks as if it was never there.

"What the actual hell?"

He spoke the sentence in an undertone, whispering harshly to himself as he once again read the original blue text box. His mouth was still slightly ajar as he tracked the words, the young teen not making any sense of the situation. All he knew was that it was getting harder and harder to dismiss this as a hallucination or a dream with this interface staring him in the face.

 _I definitely can't be dreaming. I pinched myself so I know I'm not dreaming… Right?_ He frowned at the thought, aware that it wasn't the first time that he had asked himself that since he had found out exactly what type of world he found himself on. _Dreams don't last for weeks so I can't be dreaming._

The boy glanced down, half-closing his eyelids as he tried to think his way through this… whatever this was. _I'm not dreaming. I don't feel loopy so I'm not on drugs and I'm not crazy enough to have hallucinations._ He frowned slightly at the last thought, aware of the fallacy of someone acting as a judge of their own mental health, but brushed it off as he continued along his train of thought. _Since I'm not dreaming, on drugs or crazy, this is_ _ **most likely**_ _part of my powers. It has to be._

As he opened his eyes once more, the kid slowly nodded to himself as he went over his conclusion in his head several more times until he was sure of it. Satisfied by his rationalization of the situation, the kid fli

* * *

"Stats."

 **[Unnamed]**

 **Level 1**

 **XP:** 50/250

 **Age:** 13

 **HP:** 109/110 *** [170]**

 **MP:** 60/60

 **Will:** 45/45

 **STR:** 7 *** [10]**

 **SPD:** 7 *** [10]**

 **VIT:** 6 *****

 **INT:** 12

 **WIS:** 8

 **CHA:** 10

 **Stat Points:** 2

 **Perk Points:** 0

 **Cash:** $375

 **Traits**

 **Malnourished:** Too little to eat for too long has weakened your body, drained you of vitality and made you more susceptible to bumps and bruises. **(-30% to STR & SPD, Health does not gain VIT bonus, Health/Will recovery is slowed by 50%, and Will-based skills cost twice as much)**

 **Bright Kid:** While you're no genius or some prodigy, you're obviously brighter than most kids. By the time you're an adult, however, no one will care. **(Before the age of 18: +75% to INT gain and +25% to speed of learning Mana-based skills/abilities)**

* * *

"Unnamed, huh?" The kid stared at the word with pursed lips. "Why am I not surprised?"

In the weeks since he woke up in a back alley, lying atop a dumpster, he had recollected all sorts of information. Definitions for words, how to tie his shoes, and various pop culture information that he found mostly useless in a world where he doubted even ten percent of it was still around. In all that time, he had never actually recalled his name, though. No matter how hard he tried or how many headaches the kid gave himself trying to think about it, all he could get were clues like the number of letters that made it up or what the first letter of it could have been. Even with those tidbits to help him, every name he could think up just didn't seem to match exactly with what he felt his name should be.

Deciding to get back to that later, the boy shook his head and refocused as he glanced through his stats rather quickly. On the whole, he was well aware of what the shortened words next to each stat meant, but couldn't help himself from pausing on each one with a hesitant look on his face. Unsure of what the numbers actually meant, he didn't have much of an idea as to what he could do with them as opposed to adding his two remaining points somewhere they could actually be useful.

The kid found himself frowning at the odd asterisks and the bolded numbers next to some of his stats as he continued down the list. _Man, that sucks. So, because I'm hungry, I'm not as strong as I should be._ He raised his hand, laying it on top of his stomach and patted it softly. _I don't even feel that hungry, though, so why am I malnourished?_ With a shake of his head, he moved on, returning back to the spot where his name should have been. Staring at the spot intensely for a few moments, his frown only grew even more pronounced. _So, is that it? I'm officially nameless._

As the thought passed through his head, another text box appeared in front of him. "What the-" The boy flinched slightly at the sudden materialization only to pause, his eyes widening slightly as he read the notification.

 **CREATE NAME?**

 _I can change my name? Yes!_ The boy brought his arm up in a celebratory fist-pump only to pause again, noticing something off." Wait… I didn't say anything, though?" _Does this thing respond to my thoughts too?_

 **CREATE NAME?**

He narrowed his eyes. _...Yes._

 **ANNOUNCE NAME.**

 _Well, thinking out loud works. Nice._ His lips twitched upwards in a slight smile. "Now, about the name…" His name had been eluding him for a while, slipping out of his mental grip every single time he tried to think about it. He knew his first name had six letters and that it started with an "E", and that his surname had nine letters and began with an "A". Other than the fact that his middle name began with "P" as well, that's all he could manage to remember. _I still have to pick a name, though. Can't just call myself "me"._

"Let's go with… Ezekiel Patrick Armstrong." Now, that just sounded weird in his head.

 **FINALISE CHOICE?**

"Yeah. Finalize choice, I guess."

 **NAME CHOSEN.**

The newly-christened Ezekiel Armstrong let out a sigh, shrugging as he mulled over his new name. _It may not sound right but it's all I've got at this point. Might as well._ A moment later, he sat up in surprise, jarred to attention as a hissing sound came from his door, the glass entrance slowly sliding open.

 _What. The. Hell?_

Ezekiel stared at the imposing figure that entered the hospital room, his visage sending a slight chill down the back of his neck.

Clad in silvery metal, every inch of the man shone under the fluorescent lights, his muscles rippling in plain view. His movements were wholly organic and natural, so much so that it was confusing to watch as Ezekiel's mind told him that metal just shouldn't move like that. Human features like that seemed to scream of an organic origin, yet his appearance sculpted in metal stated otherwise. It was an odd mix that just stopped on the wrong side of unsettling and left Ezekiel feeling entirely uncomfortable.

The boy shivered slightly, trying to push away the idea of how inhuman the figure came off in place of what he actually looked like. Strangely enough, the metal man wasn't silver all over. His forearms and lower legs broke up the constant chrome with a red design that played with the idea of clothing for a body that was decent enough not to need it.

Ezekiel pulled himself from his thoughts as the man came to a stop by his bedside and stared up at the metal colossus glancing down at him with _glowing white eyes._

He gulped. "Uhh… Hello."

"Hello, young man." The voice that rang out from the silver super was rather calm and level, a far cry from the deep rumble he expected. "My name is Captain Atom."

 _Captain Atom._ He remembered that name. Not just the name, the character too. Ezekiel gulped again, his fingers gripping the bed sheets as he stared at the imposing being in front of him, bulging muscles bedecked in chrome. This was a man that could fight a Kryptonian on even grounds, a living weapon of mass destruction. All he knew of him was what little he remembered, his thoughts filled with images of the silver superhuman trying to kill Batman and Superman under Luthor's orders. _But Lex Luthor isn't President. So… maybe, I'm not being conscripted or anything. Hopefully._

He gulped slightly, not eager to be forced into any mandatory superhuman army or anything. He respected Lex Luthor - Hell, he was a _fan_ of the bald businessman _-_ as he was one of the few unpowered people in the comics whose name meant something, but he really didn't want to have to fight for a supervillain or anything.

"Ezekiel… sir," he added the word as a rushed afterthought, a slight feeling of nervousness rising in his stomach as he stared at the unnatural-looking man. The superhero's severe face tightened slightly, glowing eyes staring down at him in a way that made him want to gulp.

The young man flinched a little as the Captain tilted his head, still a little put off by the idea of a what looked like an adonis sculpted out of steel just walking around. Doing his best not to look away from the Captain's gaze, he asked the question that he assumed the hero expected to hear from him. "You're with the Justice League, right?"

"That's right, son."

"How come you're… uh, here then?"

Atom nodded. "I'm just here to speak with you."

" _Me?_ " Ezekiel blinked, his mouth falling slightly open. "Me, specifically?" As Captain Atom nodded again, the teenager felt rather out of sorts, wondering what he could have done to attract League attention already. "... why?"

"It's about your actions earlier this morning." Atom's arms rose, meeting themselves across his chest as he continued to stare down at the boy in bed. "Son, what you did was impulsive, reckless and dangerous. Brave, but dangerous."

 _Okay, I get it. It was dumb. You didn't need to come here and tell me that._ Ezekiel thought with a wince, taking the admonishment as best as he could as he fought back the urge to snap defensively. Despite the fact that he didn't like getting lectured, he couldn't deny the words coming out of the superhero's mouth had some truth to it.

"Even then," The metallic man paused, his hardened expression turning into something a little less imposing as he leaned in slightly, "That doesn't take away from the fact that you did what you did to help someone. That says a great deal about you." Atom nodded again. "I spoke to the people at the scene, including the lady who was attacked and stolen from. She told me about you and about what you did for her. I have to admit, I was impressed."

 _Impressed? How?_ Ezekiel blinked as he stared up at the Captain, unsure of what exactly the hero meant. "But I barely even did anything. What's all that impressive about passing out?"

"Your heart was in the right place, son."

 _That sounds pretty lame, but sure, okay._ "Thank you… sir, but…" the boy frowned, unsure if he should really say what he had on his mind. Deciding to go for broke, he opened his mouth once more. "I still don't understand why you're… you know, here for _me_."

"Well," Captain Atom's expression shifted slightly, the smooth metallic luster of his skin making it near impossible to actually determine the meaning of the subtle expression on his face. "I said you were brave and while what you did out there was not smart, it was good. That wasn't a lie. With a little experience, I believe you could do even more good work and with the..."

 _Oh. My. God._ Ezekiel's mind shuddered to a halt, the young teen's jaw slackening as he realized what the hero was leading up to. _This is not happening._ The idea of going out and fighting crime was not all that appealing, considering the fact that a single mugger was enough to tire him out to the point of unconsciousness. Still, the only other option was remaining Level 1 in a world with mad scientists, evil clowns and demon gods running around.

With that in mind, there was only one correct answer.

"I'll do it, sir." The eager grin on his face strained his muscles, but he wasn't going to let an opportunity like this pass him by. "I'll be your sidekick."

"...League has set a stan-" Captain Atom paused mid-sentence, his face taking on a clearly puzzled expression at the excited interruption. "Well... are you sure about this? Are you sure about this, son? It's not a choice you can make lightly."

"I understand, sir." Ezekiel didn't let the grin fade as he stared up into a pair of glowing white eyes. "I'm doing this because… well, I want to help people." _I don't want to die._

"I want to improve myself." _I_ _ **really**_ _don't want to die._ "To be somebody, like you and Superman." _Being rich and famous wouldn't hurt, either._ "Besides, who wouldn't want to be part of the Justice League?" _Also, I can't spend money if I'm dead._

"Well," Atom's expression shifted into a recognizable smile and he unfurled his arms from his chest, sticking a red-painted hand out for Ezekiel to shake. "Looks like you've made up your mind."

The teen placed his hand inside Captain Atom's much larger palm, marvelling for a moment at how warm the metal surrounding him felt - _almost like skin -_ before shaking it up and down. "Yes, sir."

"Still, it's not exactly up to you alone." Atom's arms dropped down to his sides as his smile faded away. "I'll have to bring this up with your parents first. Abilities or not, they're still in charge of your wellbeing."

 _Crap._ Ezekiel winced, letting out a low hiss. "That's not really going to work out, sir."

"And, why is that?"

"Well," he winced again, unsure of what he could actually say here that wouldn't make him sound completely crazy, "There isn't much I can remember about my life. At least before last month. If I had parents, I… um, really don't think you'll be able to find them."

Atom frowned, the look on his face less severe than it usually seemed to be. "I understand why you think that might be hopeless. Sometimes, it does feel like that. Still, there's a lot that the League can do to help."

"I don't want to be rude, Mr. Atom, sir," Ezekiel let out a soft sigh as he closed his eyes for a moment, "but it kind of is."

Captain Atom continued speaking, not even acknowledging Ezekiel's attempt to disagree. "The Justice League has a lot of great minds working with us, and with our resources, we should be able to find your family without much of a problem."

 _Let's just get this out of the way, then._ The young boy averted his eyes, dropping his gaze from Captain Atom's as he continued pawing away at his bed covers. "The Justice League might be good but I don't think they can find something that doesn't actually exist."

There was a pregnant silence between the two of them, Ezekiel's last statement confusing the superhero enough that he almost couldn't find the words.

"...Pardon?"

"I'd like to hear more on that as well."

"What th-"Ezekiel started, heart nearly stopping as a gruff voice announced the presence of another person. The kid slowly turned his head to face the other side of the room, eyes widening as he spotted the dark figure standing right next to a closed window.

Blank white eyes stared out at him from beneath a dark cowl, the jet-black bat symbol on the man's chest telling the teen everything he needed to know.

Ezekiel scrambled backwards off the bed, nearly diving into Captain Atom's silver body as another chill went down his back for the second time that day, this time from raw fear. Even then, he couldn't stop himself from doing what came naturally.

Which was to scream at the top of his lungs.


	5. Genesis 1-5

**Genesis 1.5**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **June 25th, 2010**

 **The Watchtower - Geostationary Orbit**

"Ezekiel Patrick Armstrong," Batman's gruff voice rang out throughout the chamber, his words carrying just fine without any need of a microphone as he spoke on the matter at hand, "is the name of our current topic of discussion."

An image from the holographic projector embedded between the gap in League's meeting table appeared between the seated Leaguers, the same image appearing on the holographic screens in front of each of them, all displaying the face of a young African-American teenager. Overall, he seemed like any other young person one would see on a daily basis, the teen bearing a slightly bored expression on his face.

"He was discovered eight days ago in Lexington, Kentucky chasing down a purse snatcher and attacking him in the middle of a busy intersection. After incapacitating the thief, Armstrong lost consciousness on the spot. He was then taken to Lexington County hospital for treatment." Another image appeared, this one of the boy sitting up in the hospital bed, eyes open.

"I hate to be this guy," Green Arrow cut in, spreading his hands out in front of him "but why is this kid a topic of discussion again? I thought these meetings were for important business. You know, debriefing and stuff."

Captain Atom glanced over Green Arrow's shoulder, sharing a look with Batman. The dark hero nodded back, aware of what the chrome-plated hero was insinuating.

"I'll get to the point." Batman paused for a moment as another holographic image of the young man rose up from the center of the table. It displayed his appearance as of last week, the teenager standing up but clothed in little more than a hospital gown. "While he has not officially been out in the field as of yet, Captain Atom has chosen to take the boy on as a protégé."

Several members of the league turned toward Captain Atom. Black Canary simply raised an eyebrow while Aquaman's strict countenance rose into a slight smile, the expression almost invisible behind his beard. Captain Marvel's grin seemed to widen somewhat, if that was possible, and Wonder Woman gave an approving nod.

"Finally got yourself a sidekick, Cap?" Flash chimed in, shooting the chrome hero a grin. "Nice." It had seemed highly unlikely to anybody in the League who cared about such things that the taciturn soldier would ever do so.

"Thank you, Flash," Captain Atom responded tersely, nodding in acknowledgement. "However, there are still things that need to be brought up. Batman, you were saying?"

Batman's expression tightened slightly, his lips pursing. "Several hours after the incident mentioned, I met Captain Atom at the hospital where Armstrong was taken to for treatment. As he happened to be flying overhead as the confrontation occurred, he was first on the scene."

Batman tapped the desk, displaying a series of still shots that obviously originated from a phone camera, with image quality that could be given the generous descriptor of sub-par.

Regardless of the quality or lack thereof, it was quite obvious that the boy in the previous image was the same one here despite the different clothing, his hands aglow with bright yellow light. "As can be seen in these images, his power allows him to augment his physical abilities, the effect creating a visible glow around certain portions of his body. Onlookers also described his lower body as emitting a similar glow moments before these images were captured, allowing him to move at enhanced speeds."

"So," Flash cut in, his fingers tapping out a drum-beat on the table, "he's a kind of speedster?"

"No." Batman's gaze turned to the man in red, shaking his head slightly. "Not in the same sense that you or Kid Flash are. His enhancement as reported seems to be closer to a professional athlete, as opposed to blatantly superhuman."

Centering his gaze on the League as a whole, Batman continued on. "While speaking with Captain Atom, Armstrong mentioned that he was an amnesiac with a lack of concrete memories prior to the 20th of May. He followed the prior statement by saying that contacting his parents would be impossible because his family ' _doesn't exist.'_ "

"I'm sorry," Superman made a face, his brows furrowing as he spoke, "' _Doesn't exist'?_ Why would he use that term? Does he mean that they died?"

"No," Batman replied, hand touching the table again, "he meant what he said. Immediately after asking a few more questions, I left Captain Atom to continue speaking with the boy and began to do my own research."

" _And?_ " The Flash asked impatiently.

"No records, no data trail, not a single trace that he exists anywhere that I can find," Batman rumbled, his tone carrying just the slightest hint of annoyance. "Not even a facial recognition search turned up any concrete results."

"Someone wiped the kid's data then?" Green Arrow spoke up again, eyebrow raised. "Is that what you're trying to get at?"

John Stewart shook his head, his mouth turning down into a frown almost as severe as the one on Batman's face. "That doesn't seem likely. A wipe for some kid not even old enough for high school? Why go to that effort? Who would even do something like that?"

"No one," Batman said with a growl, obviously frustrated. "No one -and I mean, no one - could perform a data wipe this clean. Not across so many databases and not without drawing some attention. There'd be traces of _something._ "

"Yet there are none and you can not track this boy's origins," said Wonder Woman as she gestured at the large holograph, the image of the boy still there. "So, what do you know with a certainty? As Green Arrow said, you would not have called this meeting if it was not a matter of some importance."

For a moment, the Bat was silent, simply staring at his teammates. "What I do know is unsubstantiated, and it may simply be a misunderstanding but…"

"But?" Black Canary cut in, obviously interested by the proceedings.

Letting out a sigh, Batman tapped the screen in front of him before glancing back at the League. "My only lead to the boy's origins is what he told Captain Atom and I. According to him, what few memories he does have has led him to believe that this is not his Earth."

Martian Manhunter, Superman, and the two Lanterns perked up at this, gazes locking onto Batman.

"An alien?" Stewart barked, gesturing towards the image himself. "Why weren't we informed earlier? Alien incursions across this sector are our jurisdiction."

"Because, John," Batman replied calmly, "he's not an alien. At least, not technically."

"Wait-wait-wait-wait," Hal Jordan spoke up, waving his hand in the air. "You just said that he's not from Earth. So, what are you talking about?"

"I think I know what he's getting at." Superman said with a slight nod of his head. "Not from _this_ Earth. Implying that he is from some _type_ of Earth." The Man of Steel shared a look with Batman, one eyebrow raised. "Am I right?"

"Yes, you are," Batman continued. "Armstrong believes himself to be from a different universe. Primarily, because his memories recall the League and the world being vastly different. What those differences are exactly, I haven't fully learned." Pausing to take a breath, Batman continued. "Still, I plan to catalog every single difference that he notes as soon as the boy has come to terms with his situation."

Superman turned to the Captain, eyebrows raised. "No offence, Atom, but are you sure that he's the best choice for you as a protégé? It doesn't seem like his abilities really complement yours."

"I admit, Superman," Captain Atom nodded at the Man of Steel, acquiescing to his point. "You raise a good point but there is more to him than what he's explicitly shown." The captain paused, frowning slightly as he glanced down at the tabletop in front of him. "Or at least, I suspect there is."

"Well, don't leave us hanging, Cap," Flash cut in again.

"All right." Captain Atom nodded, lifting his head. "At the time, I happened to be leaving an altercation involving Plastique in Virginia, stopping her from attacking Mount Vernon. I was flying relatively low over Kentucky and happened to detect a rather strong surge of energy, energy of a type that I'd never felt before, so I headed towards it."

"Unlike anything you've felt before?" Zatara spoke up, a gloved hand on his chin. "Likely magical in nature, then."

"Definitely not," Captain Atom shook his head, barely glancing at the magician. "I've felt magical energies before. This felt… different. Much denser, almost. I can't really describe it but I can say that much. Judging by the amount and again, the density of the energy I felt from Ezekiel at that first moment, I believe that he simply needs training to access this well inside him."

Zatara seemed to accept the answer with some slight trepidation. Superman and Wonder Woman just nodded along as Captain Atom spoke while Captain Marvel looked almost confused, seemingly unsure about the other captain's words for some reason.

"Hm." Batman drew back attention to himself with a single sound. "Speaking of abilities, Armstrong seems to believe that he has additional capabilities in addition to the physical enhancement, but we have yet to verify his claims." Another image appeared on the screen, this one of the teen in a blue-and-white sleeveless jumpsuit, sneakers and matching fingerless gloves. "Over the last few days, Armstrong has been residing at the S.T.A.R. Labs in San Francisco, allowing the metahuman specialist team to decipher how his powers function as well as collecting valuable data for us as well."

"That's gotta suck," Flash replied with a snort, shaking his head. "Stuck in a lab with a bunch of scientists all day and night. Kid must be bored out of his mind."

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

" _Come on!_ " Zeke spat the words from his lips as he continued pumping his arms and legs like a machine, eyes locked onto the track in front of him. Sweat trickled down his brow, even despite the temperature-controlled environment he found himself in, the effort he was pushing into every single movement strenuous enough to keep his sweat glands on overdrive. "Come on!"

He spoke the words to no one but himself, trying to motivate himself to run even faster. For a second his gaze trailed off to the side, just enough to catch something in his peripheral. He frowned at the sight, gritting his teeth as he refocused on the path in front of him. "Come on!"

About two meters to his left, a slightly blurry figure ran alongside him, the image a perfect mirror of Ezekiel, sloppy running figure and all. Part of S.T.A.R. Labs' status as a renowned series of scientific laboratories dedicated to creating some of the most advanced technology for civilian, commercial and military use meant that they had plenty of crazy tech in their labs for literally the most mundane reasons. Case in point, the holographic running partner that Ezekiel was currently struggling to make sure he didn't lose to.

Instead of leaving the Olympic standard track as it was, S.T.A.R. Labs had decided to outfit it with a real-time 3-D camera, high-tech sensor suite, and a holographic projector to create his clone of a running partner. If that wasn't enough, S.T.A.R. Labs seemed to have tech all over the place, including hologram projectors around every corner for some reason. _I didn't even think holograms were possible and all of a sudden, they're all over the place._

Gritting his teeth again, Zeke refocused his wandering mind on the path in front of him, the line at the end drawing ever a surge of speed, he found himself pulling forward, passing over the finish marker scant seconds before the hologram could.

"Yes!" The teen thrust his hands in the air, pumping his fist up and down excitedly even as his breath came in quick, short pants. " _Yes!_ Suck it, hologram! Who won? I won!"

"Yes," replied a voice, warm and soft in it's tones, yet still possessing a strict edge to it. The person it belonged to walked over from the middle of the track with her face in a tablet, a series of holographic screens still being operated by her squad of interns and assistants. "Yes, you did. As you have every single time we've tested your endurance and speed around this track."

Zeke allowed himself a moment to stare at the scientist as she walked toward him, wondering not for the first time if most of the women he met in this universe were going to be this pretty. A black woman in her very early twenties, Sara Charles looked like she belonged on a movie screen or a magazine more than she did a laboratory, even with her lab coat and glasses. On top of her looks, she was undoubtedly a genius. Although, she would have to be, considering she worked at S.T.A.R.

 _When you look like that, brains like hers are just unfair, though._ Shaking his head, the teen drew himself away from those… _distracting_ thoughts and decided to focus on something more important.

Namely, his progress.

"Dr Charles ... time, please." His voice was curt, not out of disrespect or a desire to be rude. In his short time here, he had quickly learned that the scientists, at least the ones he interacted with, often didn't respond to worded questions while they were reviewing data or research. No, the shorter the request, the quicker they responded to it.

"Sixty-one point six-two seconds," was the just as curt reply, the female scientist not even lifting her head from her tablet. "A reduction of one point eight-five seconds from this morning."

"Okaaay," he frowned slightly, pausing to wipe sweat from his forehead using the back of his bare arm. "And what's that average out to in… like, actual speed?"

"Roughly 21 kilometers per hour." Sara cocked her hip, placing one hand at her waist as she glanced down at the tablet in her hands again. "A slight improvement from this morning but an improvement nonetheless."

"Not good enough, though," Zeke cut in, already gazing back at the track with a slightly annoyed expression, his eyes locking on to the form of his hologram,, the image remaining motionless at the finish line. _Definitely not good enough._ "That's like thirteen miles an hour, at best."

The scientist shot him a look from underneath her glasses. "You're joking, right?"

Not for the first time since he had met her, Zeke wished he had his own glasses to send her back one of her own looks just to see how she liked being looked at like a five-year-old. _Bet that wouldn't be fun, huh?_

"No, I'm not joking," Zeke replied as he turned his head to avoid eye contact with the doctor for no reason at all. "This place studies metahumans, right? What's the point of studying someone whose power wouldn't even have him place in a middle school track meet?"

"In reference to your body, you would be correct." Dr Charles replied bluntly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Still, It seems to me that in addition to your 'Inventory,' you seem to be ignoring the fact that you have an enhancement ability as well."

Zeke rolled his eyes, shrugging his shoulders to free himself from the doctor's hands. _Like I could forget about the only two "skills" I have._ "I'm not forgetting about it. I just don't really see the use in something that wouldn't even let me win a high school track meet, either." Training Power Sprint was a bit annoying, really. With his **[Malnutrition]** trait still refusing to disappear, he couldn't even train the skill without risk of falling to the floor in exhaustion half a minute into a run.

It was beginning to grate on his nerves, really.

His slow growth, that is.

He had been a resident of S.T.A.R. Labs San Francisco for nearly seven days now and his biggest achievement was the fact he could run a little bit faster. _Although,_ Zeke fumed to himself, _I could probably have done a lot more than that if these guys hadn't wasted my time._

The various other scientists at S.T.A.R. had been far more interested with his Inventory, it's capacity, his ability to preserve organic items inside it and anything else they could think of to test for hours on end. In fact, they had been so interested that they had used up his first four days testing just that.

If he hadn't known they were actually curious, he would have thought the scientists were trying to torture him the way they were doing things. Just having him test out the myriad ways he could put something into his inventory and out of it again. Over and over and over and over again. It had almost been worth it when he had accidentally displayed his ability to equip clothes in his inventory with nothing but a thought, just seeing the expressions on their faces.

Still, it had gotten to the point that he almost had to resort to begging to get at least one of them to even consider testing his strength and speed. Even then, the majority of them had raised complaints, apparently because "the manifestation of a personal dimension with near-infinite storage capacity is more important than minor physical enhancements."

"Seriously, kid," the doctor responded dully, one hand raising her glasses so she could rub the bridge of her nose. "I don't get you or why you're complaining so much. This time last week, you could barely keep up a pace of ten kilometers per hour. Even then, your stamina was impressive enough for you to last almost thirty minutes of nonstop running till you collapsed on us. Be happy with what you have. Not everyone can be Superman."

"Uh-huh, thank you," Zeke said, barely listening to the scientist on his case. After taking a moment to wipe down his face with a towel sitting on a rack, the kid gave the doctor his full attention. "So, did my stamina improve at all since then cause it doesn't feel li..." He found himself trailing off as Sara's eyes narrowed at him. _What did I do now?_

"You have all this… _not right now. Go away."_ The scientist's face turned down into a slight scowl as she shooed away a set of interns, both female, approaching her with tablets in hand. Still scowling, she turned back to Zeke. "All of this information is sent to your S.T.A.R. Tab and updated in real-time. I don't know why you insist on asking myself or the interns to give you a readout every time you get the slightest bit curious."

Zeke scrunched up his face slightly, before replying, his voice quiet. "I don't ask you all the time."

"I beg to differ. You've asked me six times today, and it's only 1 in the afternoon," Sara replied, the strict edge in her voice standing out a bit more. "We've provided you a S.T.A.R. tab. Use it."

Ezekiel opened his mouth to respond, only to close it as he realized he had nothing to say back. At least, nothing that could help his case. _What am I supposed to say?_ He thought to the resident smart people that he couldn't figure out how to work the device they had given him in the six days since he had been with them was just asking to be pitied, or looked at like an idiot. It wasn't his fault this universe had weird future technology.

 _What the heck is a tablet computer anyway? Like, a laptop without a keyboard? Really?_ That didn't even make any sense. "...Fine," Zeke finally replied, towel hanging from his hands as he began to walk away from the track, the metahuman specialist keeping stride with him. "I'll stop bugging you guys."

The sigh that left Sara's lips was loud enough to echo around the enclosed cavern the track occupied. "Kid, I didn't mean it that way. We appreciate you allowing us to collect data on you. Metahumans are rare enough as it is, and it feels like most of them end up as criminals these days. The information we're collecting on how your powers work is important. So, thanks for putting up with us." Her hand landed on his shoulder again and she gave it a reassuring squeeze.

The young man grimaced slightly, the approval feeling odd from the normally strict doctor. "No need to thank me. I mean, three meals a day, a warm bed, and cash in my pocket for letting you guys push my limits is cool enough. Then you toss in this awesome jumpsuit, too?" Zeke gave the woman a smile, as he gestured to the blue-and-white sleeveless one-piece he had on, one of dozens S.T.A.R. Labs had custom-made just for him using something called a 3D printer. Breathable, super-light and near impossible to tear, it was insane how comfortable it was. "How did you know I'm not a fan of sleeves?"

Her lip twitched, the doctor turning her head away from the young man for a moment as she took a deep breath. "Call it a lucky guess."

"Either way," Zeke continued with a nonchalant shrug, "you guys are the ones doing me the big favor here."

"That's nice to hear, kid," Dr Charles responded, her twitching lip finally rising upwards into a small smile. "Now do us all a favor and go hit the showers. We're not scheduled to test whether your sweat has metahuman effects till next week."

* * *

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

* * *

 **Ezekiel Patrick Armstrong**

 **Title:** _None_

 **Level 1**

 **XP:** 50/250

 **Age:** 13

 **HP:** 109/110 *** [220]**

 **MP:** 65/65

 **Will:** 60/60

 **STR:** 8 *** [12]**

 **SPD:** 13 *** [19]**

 **VIT:** 11 *****

 **INT:** 13

 **WIS:** 8

 **CHA:** 10

 **Stat Points:** 2

 **Perk Points:** 0

 **Cash:** $375

 **Traits**

 **Malnourished:** Too little to eat for too long has weakened your body, drained you of vitality and made you more susceptible to bumps and bruises. **(-30% to STR & SPD, Health does not gain VIT bonus, Health/Will recovery is slowed by 50%, and Will-based skills cost twice as much)**

 **Bright Kid:** While you're no genius or some prodigy, you're obviously brighter than most kids. By the time you're an adult, however, no one will care. **(Before the age of 18: +75% to INT gain and +25% to speed of learning Mana-based skills/abilities)**

 **Perks**

 _ **None**_

 **Skills**

 **Power Sprint Lv 3**

 _You'll never be the Flash relying on this alone. Still, we've all gotta start somewhere._

While active, your running speed increases by 5% per level.

 **Cost:** 1 Will/s

 **Power Strike Lv 1**

 _Not exactly a heavy hitter quite yet._

Increases the STR value and knockback of your punches/kicks by 10% per level.

 **Cost:** 5 Will

 **Abilities**

 **Gamer's Body Lv. MAX**

 _Allows your body to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character._

Sleeping restores HP, MP, Will and removes most negative status effects. Health, Will, and Mana regenerate at a base of 1 point every 30 seconds. Food and drink items can accelerate recovery.

 **Gamer's Mind Lv. MAX**

 _Allows your mind to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character._

Grants immunity to mental status effects, emotional trauma and severely damaging emotional states. Grants immunity to forceful/unwanted mental intrusion.


	6. Genesis 1-6

**Genesis 1.6**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA**

 **JULY 9TH, 10:05 PT**

Flying through the sky was something that Ezekiel doubted he'd ever get used to. Soaring above the landscape, high enough that he was above even the tops of most skyscrapers, looking down on cars that looked more like little insects as they made their way across the highway…

It was nothing short of amazing.

Of course, being this high up was somewhat nerve-wracking at first, especially in the dead of night, but Zeke had quickly gotten used to it. The teen had simply pushed his fear down rather easily and did his best to enjoy the sensation, well aware that screaming like a maniac would not be the brightest idea. After all, it wouldn't due to panic while in the air, anyway. So, he simply engaged himself in the moment and enjoyed the rush of adrenaline in his veins.

The feeling of the wind in his face, even through his visor, was another incredible experience that Zeke never imagined he would experience. At least, not like this. The freedom of flight was nothing compared to anything else that he could imagine. It was indescribable, unbelievable and incredibly… _uncomfortable._

Fighting the urge to fidget, the young teenager tilted his head slightly upwards to glance at the silver form of the person acting as his transportation at this very moment. Captain Atom had informed him a few days prior that he would be picking him up on the 8th for an important meeting with the Justice League, introducing him to some people who he would be spending some time with for a while.

A part of Zeke had been a little annoyed at that, wondering why the Captain wasn't handling his training. After all, what was the point of taking him on as a sidekick when he kept hoisting him off onto other people like he wasn't even important, right? It had been almost a whole month since Captain Atom had asked him to be his sidekick and not once had he done any kicking.

Still, even with that slight bit of annoyance, Zeke had been looking forward to the trip. He could only take so much of being cooped up in S.T.A.R. Labs, especially when the annoying research staff didn't think it important to give him a moment of free time. It wouldn't even be so bad if any of the stuck-up geniuses at Star Labs would even let him get a word in edgewise, once in a while. Constant, useless tests every single day… It was all just getting to be too _much_.

Dr Charles actually managed to make it bearable when she was the one working with him, but it was still annoying being poked, prodded and studied by people who often wouldn't even pause to let him introduce himself. He felt like nothing more than a lab rat in there sometimes.

"Hey, Captain?" The teen called out, his tone just short of a yell. With the rushing wind as loud as it was, Zeke had to raise his voice or risk being drowned out.

"Yes?" The man didn't bother looking down, his attention focused on flying. "Is there a problem?"

"No, there isn't a problem, sir. It's just…" Zeke paused, shifting his mouth to one side, "How much longer till we get there?" With the awkward way he was being carried through the air, both of Captain's Atom's unyielding limbs looped underneath his armpits, he didn't want to risk throwing off the superhero's concentration by making him question what he was doing.

Being turned into a splatter on the concrete below was a legitimate fear, and one he didn't want to become a reality.

"I understand that the flight has been a bit long," the captain replied, voice as calm and unaffected as it always seemed to be.

 _About twenty minutes, but who's counting?_ The teen thought to himself, once again fighting the urge to fidget. He really didn't understand why Captain Atom couldn't tell this was uncomfortable for him. I mean, it had to be an awkward position for him too, right?

"But we should be at the Zeta Tube any moment now."

"Yay. Wait, the what?"Zeke blinked, confused by the odd term. "What's a Zeta Tube?"

"You'll see."

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA**

 **JULY 9TH, 10:08 PT**

"I'm sorry, but," Zeke stared with half-lidded eyes, surveying nothing but filthy, graffiti-laden walls and overflowing dumpsters filled with garbage bags that were themselves filled to near-bursting. "You said this is where the Zeta thing is?"

"Right through there, yes."

" _Okay,_ but…"Zeke blinked, glancing over at the Captain Atom's statue-like figure. The man stood off to his side, both arms folded over one another as he turned his head from side-to side, glancing periodically at the grimy alley walls at their sides. The boy couldn't help but wonder if the captain could even see where they were, or if his steel-covered body even let him perceive the stench of the garbage that surrounded them. "I mean…" the young man gestured around them, both hands spreading out as he splayed his fingers outwards, " _come on._ "

The place certainly didn't look like it was in any way affiliated with the Justice League, and with all the filth built up around it, he didn't know why anyone would ever stay here for long. Hell, he wasn't even sure why they were here in the first place other than for some tube thing.

"I admit that it may not seem like much but that's exactly the point," Captain Atom supplied, coming to a stop next to a dumpster at the end of the alley. Zeke stopped as well, watching with a raised eyebrow as the captain placed a silver hand on the alley wall, directly over a large piece of graffiti.

"I get that b-" Zeke's jaw fell open as the wall that Captain Atom touched opened up, sliding apart to display a large archway leading into an enclave with distinctly high-tech machinery built into it and a computer terminal right next to it where there wasn't one before. " _What is this_?"

" _This_ is a Zeta Tube," Captain Atom announced proudly, seemingly enjoying the stunned look on Zeke's face. He gave the young teenager a slight smile, before he walked over to the terminal, the screen coming to life as his fingers met it. "Think of them as teleporters, allowing travel to any other terminal on the planet."

 _The planet?_ Zeke's eyes widened even further as he let that sink in. Spending time in Star Labs had basically acclimated him to some of the futuristic aspects of the world he had found himself in but still, there were some things that you couldn't be prepared for. _The whole planet? How would you even build something like that?_

"Incredible, isn't it?"

Zeke could only nod, watching as the Zeta Tube began to hum loudly, a bright yellow light filling the inside of it. _Holy crap, this place keeps getting more and more insane._

"Well, let's get moving. We don't want to be late." With that said, Captain Atom stepped through the shimmering portal. Zeke blinked as the man disappeared in front of his eyes, before shaking his head a moment later.

 _Today's been a bunch of firsts, huh? Flying, then teleporting._ The blue-suited metahuman shook his head, loosening his shoulders as he prepared to step through. _And it's only 10 in the morning. Wonder what's next?_ Blowing air out of his mouth, Zeke stepped forward, his head meeting the golden lightshow first and-

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **HAPPY HARBOR, RHODE ISLAND**

 **JULY 9TH, 1:10 EDT**

"...Wow," he blinked, "that was weird."

" **Recognized: Captain Atom, 0-12. Recognized: Guest, D-0-1."**

All it had taken was a single step and he was somewhere drastically different, the sun's bright rays replaced by white fluorescence and hot California weather now air-conditioned coolness. Shuddering slightly to shake off both the odd disorientation and the pins and needles sensations that seemed to be making its way all over his body, Zeke stared open-mouthed at his new surroundings.

The teen found himself in a massive wide-open hall, smooth stone walls stretching at least half a dozen meters upwards. In the middle, hanging from said ceiling, was some kind of odd metal structure that looked vaguely futuristic, a descriptor Zeke could use to define at least a third of what he'd seen over the last few weeks.

"Welcome to Mount Justice," Captain Atom spoke up, drawing Zeke's attention again. "Former Justice League HQ."

 _Mount Justice?_ Zeke blinked. _That sounds familiar. Why does that sound familiar?_

Zeke didn't have time to wonder why that was exactly as his attention was caught up by two approaching figures. He quickly ignored the pretty girl making her way towards him and Captain Atom, despite the fact that she had green skin and was _floating_ , and instead focused his attention on the muscular teenage boy beside her.

Specifically, his chest.

The red S and black shirt stood out vibrantly in Zeke's mind, blinding him to all else. Before he knew it, he was in front of the frowning brunette and jumping around like a child half his age.

" _Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod!"_ He couldn't believe it. He _literally_ couldn't believe it. " _You're here! You're here! You're here! I love you!"_

"Wait. wh-"

" _Superboy?"_

Zeke barely registered the older boy's confused words or the green girl's surprised yelp as he pressed his smaller hands up against the red portion of the boy's shirt, repeatedly poking the symbol of the House of El like an infant with a mobile. "You're… You're _him_."

The teenage Kryptonian frowned and stepped back, keeping Ezekiel's over-eager form at arm's length. "Who?"

" _Superboy!"_ Zeke looked up into the clone's face, his eyes wide with excitement and fanboyish glee. The eagerness slowly began to deflate as he realized what he was doing, his hands holding firmly onto Superboy's outstretched arm like he never wanted to let it go. _Oh, crap._

The brown-skinned teen hurriedly stepped back and glanced around at the two other occupants of the cave, the green girl shooting him a wary look while Captain Atom looked more confused than he had the first day they'd met.

Zeke turned back to Superboy, the stocky teenager shooting him a look that managed to convey the trifecta of confusion, annoyance, and frustration. "Umm… _sorry_?" He coughed nervously as Superboy's eyes only narrowed, his half-baked apology obviously not enough of an explanation.

Despite the judging looks being shot his way, he couldn't help but scream inside his own head. _I touched Superboy. BEST. DAY. EVER!_

"If it helps, I just want you to know that I'm a big fan," he offered with a slightly forced grin. "Like… _huge._ "

Judging by the scowl on Superboy's face, Zeke was pretty sure it didn't.

* * *

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

* * *

 **Ezekiel Patrick Armstrong**

 **Title:** _None_

 **Level 1**

 **XP:** 50/250

 **Age:** 13

 **HP:** 110/110 *** [250]**

 **MP:** 65/65

 **Will:** 60/60

 **STR:** 11 *** [16]**

 **SPD:** 18 *** [26]**

 **VIT:** 14 *****

 **INT:** 14

 **WIS:** 8

 **CHA:** 10

 **Stat Points:** 2

 **Perk Points:** 0

 **Cash:** $375

* * *

 **Traits**

 **Malnourished:** Too little to eat for too long has weakened your body, drained you of vitality and made you more susceptible to bumps and bruises. **(-30% to STR & SPD, Health does not gain VIT bonus, Health/Will recovery is slowed by 50%, and Will-based skills cost twice as much)**

 **Bright Kid:** While you're no genius or some prodigy, you're obviously brighter than most kids. By the time you're an adult, however, no one will care. **(Before the age of 18: +75% to INT gain and +25% to speed of learning Mana-based skills/abilities)**

* * *

 **Perks**

 _ **None**_

* * *

 **Skills**

 **Power Sprint Lv 6**

 _You'll never be the Flash relying on this alone. Still, we've all gotta start somewhere._

While active, your running speed increases by 5% per level. **(30%)**

 **Cost:** 1 Will/s

 **Power Strike Lv 1**

 _Not exactly a heavy hitter quite yet._

Increases the STR value and knockback of your punches/kicks by 10% per level. **(10%)**

 **Cost:** 5 Will

* * *

 **Abilities**

 **Gamer's Body Lv. MAX**

 _Allows your body to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character._

Sleeping restores HP, MP, Will and removes most negative status effects. Health, Will, and Mana regenerate at a base of 1 point every 30 seconds. Food and drink items can accelerate recovery.

 **Gamer's Mind Lv. MAX**

 _Allows your mind to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character._

Grants immunity to mental status effects, emotional trauma and severely damaging emotional states. Grants immunity to forceful/unwanted mental intrusion.


	7. Genesis 1-7

**gemm1mt:** _Thanks. I try._

 **guest:** _I hope this one's long enough for you, then._

 **Remzal Von Enili:** _Well, yeah, but it kinda blends. Have you seen 13 year olds meet a celebrity? Ive been to plenty of concerts and if they could reach them, it'd be a massacre._

 **Wentley:** _Of course he will. It was embarrasing as all hell._

 **edgolub2:** _I'm sorry but it was the 6th chapter. I'm still doing set-up. I write at my own pace._

* * *

 **Genesis 1.7**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **HAPPY HARBOR, RHODE ISLAND  
JULY 9TH, 1:24 EDT**

" _Uggggggggh_ ," Zeke let out a guttural sound of frustration as he dropped his head on the steel table in front of him. Moments later, both his fists met it as well with a hard _thud._

 ** _-2_**

He ignored the bright red notification visible in his mind's eye, far too focused on letting out his frustrations on the innocent piece of furniture to care about losing any HP. The young teenager lifted his head up only to drop it again, another deep groan coming from the back of his throat as he continued to hammer at the table using nothing more than his fists and skull. _I made myself look like such an idiot._

 ** _-2_**

Admittedly, it wasn't the smartestidea to run up to Superboy and gush over him like an insane fanboy. In fact, there were a lot of things he could have done there that would have been a lot less embarrassing or flat-out weird, but, in all fairness, it was _Superboy._

 ** _-2_**

" _Uggggggggh."_ His head met the table again, his groan just a bit louder this time. _First time meeting Superboy, and you act like a little kid. What's wrong with you?_ Zeke could remember reading so much about Superboy, purposely buying as many older Teen Titan comics and trades mainly for more Superboy action.

It didn't even matter which incarnation you were talking about. Leather jacket Superboy, Black shirt Superboy, Bald Superboy, Superboy-Prime… they were all so freakin' awesome. I mean, this was Kon-El, of all people. Conner Kent, Fifty-percent human, Fifty-percent Kryptonian, One hundred-percent awesome. How was he supposed to keep his calm when he of all people walked up to him?

 _I can't believe I thought he didn't exist,_ Zeke thought incredulously. After finally figuring out how to use the tablet in S.T.A.R. Labs, an act that had gained him a single extra INT point, Zeke had spent a bunch of time looking up a lot of information on this Earth. Specifically, everything he could find out about certain superheroes. Newspapers and street conversation with random people who would bother to answer his questions were good sources of info but they were far from ideal when it came to finding stuff out. So, he searched and searched until he finally felt he had a general idea of the universe he had found himself in.

The Justice Society had been around on this world since the Forties, with Wonder Woman having been part of it like the old comics always showed. The original Black Canary wasn't part of the JSA here, for some reason, although she was apparently _affiliated_ with them… whatever that meant. The Spectre didn't seem to be around at all, something Zeke couldn't help but be thankful for, but he couldn't deny that it was a bit of a letdown that all the familiar names he knew of didn't seem to exist here, for some reason.

Heroes like Booster Gold, Firestorm, Power Girl, Raven, Starfire, Beast Boy, Wonder Girl, Donna Troy… None of them seemed to exist anywhere. Even if they were around, they hadn't done anything to make them famous yet.

Hell, it seemed like almost everyone involved that was ever involved with either the Teen Titans or Young Justice didn't seem to exist for some reason. The fact that Superboy's name had originally been on that list of never-beens had been just as big of a letdown at first but Zeke didn't let that make him doubt.

After all, it took Superman almost dying for Superboy to be made last time, so why would it be any different now?

At least, that's what he'd assumed.

Being thrust face-to-face with the cloned Kryptonian had gotten that false assumption out of his head in an instant. Face-to-face with the Big Red S, he was reduced to a gibbering fanboy, disregard for personal space and all.

" _Uuuuughhh."_

 ** _-2_**

As embarrassing as it must have been for Superboy, it was so much more humiliating for Zeke once the moment was over and he had a moment to realize how he must have looked to everyone. To make matters even worse, his little outburst a few minutes ago had not been taken well by Superboy _at all_ , the clone stomping off in annoyed confusion with the green-skinned girl floating off behind him.

After a slightly awkward conversation, Captain Atom had simply herded him into this room and told him to wait for a little while, before leaving him alone to do who knows what. It had already been nearly ten minutes since the man had left and Zeke couldn't help but feel a little nervous, the antsiness not helped by the fact that this room didn't seem to have any Wi-Fi for his S.T.A.R. Tab to pick up.

" _Uggggggggggh._ " _What's taking him so long?_

As if on cue, the doorknob suddenly shifted and Zeke's eyes snapped open, the sound of footsteps outside the door catching his attention.

The boy sat up quickly, pulling his hands away from the side of his head, and stared at the entrance as Captain Atom entered the interrogation area. Zeke opened his mouth to say something only to close it, eyes widening, as Batman strode in immediately after, his cape billowing slightly behind him. Without turning around, the Dark Knight shut the door behind himself, locking it with a deft movement.

"So," Zeke offered with a wry smile, "I'm guessing I'm in trouble?"

"Of course not," Captain Atom cut in, a look of slight surprise on his face at the question. After a slight pause, the chrome hero turned to Batman. "Right?"

"He's not," Batman turned his gaze to face the boy at the table, Zeke sitting up slightly as he felt Batman scrutinizing him.

"Okay, that's good to hear." Zeke frowned slightly, "By the way, thanks for using the door this time."

There was a pause, and Zeke noticed Captain Atom trying to contain a smirk as he glanced at Batman.

"You're welcome." Batman's response was as curt as it was gruff, but none of that really mattered in the face of what it meant.

"Was that a joke?" He couldn't help himself from asking, the sentence blurting out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

"No."

Zeke blinked. " _Oookay_ , then."

The two heroes joined the boy at the table, sitting down in the two uncomfortable steel chairs opposite Zeke. Batman leaned forward, mouth in a flat grim line. "Do you know why Captain Atom brought you here today?"

" _Not really,_ " the boy replied, giving Batman a shrug using only his face. He inclined his head, staring over at his mentor. "He just told me I'd be meeting some people. I didn't expect _Superboy,_ though _."_

"So, you do recall _a_ Superboy from your Earth?" asked Captain Atom. "Because you seemed to know who he was when you met him."

"Yeah. Superboy was pretty big. Was on like a couple different hero teams. He was supposed to replace Superman in case he died… I think," Ezekiel hedged at the end, unsure if that was exactly how Superboy's origin went. It _really_ didn't help that all this stuff started to blend together after a while.

Batman regarded the boy for a brief moment, the flat line of his mouth beginning to drift downward at the sides. "So, you recall enough of your previous life to remember that you were a fan of Superboy?"

"I mean," Zeke faltered slightly, suddenly very aware that he was in the midst of lying to the World's Greatest Detective yet again. His previous statements had been few and far between, Zeke going out of his way not to directly lie, but struggling to give the information in a way that didn't directly give away that these people's lives were fake. "Who wouldn't be? He's _Superboy_. That's all you have to know, really," Zeke continued with a smile on his face, still riding a slight high from actually touching him. "The guy's a teenage Kryptonian. The Boy of Steel. _Literally_ the strongest teenager on the planet."

"That's enough about him. We can get back on that topic later." Batman leaned forward in his seat, his expression growing slightly more intense. "Captain Atom informed me that that you remembered something rather important," Batman began again, his voice taking on a harder tone. "Something called the Tower of Babel incident. Do you recall bringing this up with him?"

 _Uh-oh._ Zeke nodded hesitantly, his hands shifting on the table as he began to feel a certain anxiousness creeping up on him. "Um, yes… I do. Yes. We talked about a bunch of things that I could remember, but I mentioned… _some_ of it… sir." He nodded again, unsure of what else to add.

While Captain Atom had been something of an absentee mentor over the past few weeks, the man did make an attempt at building up some sort of a relationship. Thanks to his S.T.A.R. Tab, the captain had been able to contact him through video call, something Zeke had honestly appreciated.

As stiff as the metal man could be, he was a pretty nice guy and rather easy to talk to, considering how good a listener he could be. Sharing some of his "memories" with Captain Atom had simply been a part of their conversations after a while. After all, he was stuck in S.T.A.R. Labs all day with the same set of scientists and assistants. There really wasn't much to share other than what testing he did and how long he did it for.

Were the things he said worthy of an interrogation, though? He doubted it.

Obviously, the Dark Knight didn't feel the same way.

Batman's eyes narrowed, the white lenses somehow moving with his facial expressions in a way that was undeniably off-putting. He leaned forward, clasping both hands together in front of him on the table. "Explain."

"W-what?" Zeke replied, fighting to keep in control of his voice so he didn't yelp. For all that Batman was "just a regular human", he sure seemed to give off the impression that he could destroy you without even doing anything. It wasn't that he was scared or anything but the reputation was intimidating enough by itself. "But I…" the teen paused, taking in a gulp of air before he continued again. "I thought Captain Atom had told you already."

"He has. _You_ haven't," Batman recited calmly, as if those four words explained everything, "Now, explain."

"Oh... okay." The kid nodded quickly, swallowing a mouthful of nothing as he tried to think. "I… I remember that there was a situation a while back," Zeke began, his mind racing as he tried to recall plot points from a certain comic that he could recall reading at some point. "where Rā's al Ghūl st-"

"Ra's," Batman interrupted.

Zeke blinked. "Umm… what?"

"You said Rah-us," Batman repeated, emphasizing the word. "It's pronounced Ray-sh."

"Oh," Zeke frowned slightly, confused as why that of all things would be different. "Okay. Anyway, _Ray-sh_ al Ghūl stole… Well, first of all, he wanted to… uh… you know," The kid raised his hand up and drew a thumb across his neck, sticking his tongue out of the side of his mouth to mimic a dead body, "do _that_ to a good chunk of the world's population. Thing is, Ra's knew he couldn't pull it off because you and the League would stop him when he tried anything big. So first, he hacked your… well, not yours…" He winced as Batman's white masked eyes narrowed again, "He hacked _that_ Batman's secret files on the Justice League and got a bunch of their information."

If Batman's expression could get more severe, then that's just what it did. The mouth visible between the cowl and chin guard curved even further downwards. It was an impressive scowl, it really was.

Still, it had nothing on the ninja move that nearly made him wet himself several weeks ago, but it was intimidating.

"How much information?" Batman demanded, the intensity in his voice making Zeke wince. "Of what type?"

"Um… okay, uh, well," Zeke opened his mouth, hedging sounds leaving his lips as he tried to think of a way to break to Batman that he knew his identity without making the man angry at him. "You see…"

Or at least, _angrier._

"How much? I don't… I'm not sure how much exactly but I'm pretty sure it was… well, a lot." Zeke raised a hand to the side of his face, scratching at nothing but smooth skin as he tried to answer Batman's questions. "And the type? Basically, uh… I guess, most things you would put down in secret files. League mission details, possible choices for new League members, and…"

"And?" Batman spoke, his voice low but still holding the same intensity as it always seemed to.

 _Why couldn't Superman be the one asking me these questions? Or Wonder Woman? I'd take the Flash anyday._ Zeke shifted in his seat, unable to shake the sensation that he was under a magnifying glass the longer Batman stared at him through those unfeeling white lenses. Captain Atom seemed to feel the tension, shooting Batman a warning look as his protege began to fidget under the man's gaze.

Turning back to the boy in front of them, he leaned forward in his seat. "Ezekiel, is there something that you want to add?"

"Y-yes, sir." _Oh, yeah, he's gonna love this._

"Would you mind telling us, son?"

The boy nodded, anxiously scratching the side of his face again. Closing his eyes, he prepared to say one of the most important parts of what he had been working up to. "Secret… secret identities..."

 _Whoa!_ Ezekiel winced, instinctively leaning back as Batman seemed to jerk in his seat, the table legs screeching as they scraped against the floor from the sudden movement. The tension in the room seemed to have jumped up several notches, Captain Atom eyeing Batman warily while the Dark Knight's gaze seemed locked on to the boy in front of him.

Zeke opened his mouth to try to speak further only to find the words dying on his lips, his mouth suddenly dry.

* * *

 **[Paralyzing Fear]** negated by Gamer's Mind.

* * *

Zeke let out a slight shudder, blinking in surprise as all the tension and nervous fear he had suddenly been feeling just _melted_ away, replaced by an almost unnatural sense of calm. Glancing at the notification, the kid let out a low sigh. _Oh, that's definitely handy._ Sitting up in his seat, the kid blinked a few times and turned his attention back to Batman, both he and Captain Atom seemingly engaged in a silent conversation.

Noticing the boy staring at them, Batman's head snapped back to face Zeke and his jaw seemed to unclench slightly as he spoke, just enough for the man to force out the sentence, "How are you aware Ra's obtained this information?"

Zeke winced again, the unspoken question ringing loud and clear in his head. "He… he released it… to everyone. All over the world. Though, it ended up hurting him too because a lot of his info was in those same files." _Please buy it. Please buy it. Please buy it,_ Zeke begged, hoping Batman wouldn't ask any further questions. He was already winging it as it was, mixing in parts of a half-remembered Justice League comic into his own lie.

In a way, his prayers were answered, as Batman seemed to be mulling over his words. Instead, Captain Atom spoke up, his voice more curious than interrogatory. "Why would al Ghul do that, though?" The steel-skinned hero shook his head, a slight frown on his face. "I've never dealt with the man personally, but I doubt there's anyone in the League who hasn't read his dossier. The man leads a secret group of assassins. Why would he do something so… _overt_?"

Shrugging, Zeke opened his mouth to respond to his mentor only for Batman to cut him off with a raised hand.

"...There's more."

"What?" Captain Atom turned to face the black-clad man at his side, confusion clear on his face. "What do you mean, ' _There's more_ '?"

" _You._ " Batman didn't respond to the captain's question, instead rounding on Zeke. "There is something you're not mentioning. What else did Ra's find?"

Hazel eyes widened, Zeke's mouth falling open slightly as Batman pointed a finger at him. "I… I don't…"

 _How did he…?_

"What. Else."

A low hiss of air escaped Zeke at Batman's tense growl, the man clearly not willing to let him avoid the question. The kid sighed, laying both hands flat down on the table. "Okay, it… it didn't end at just secret identities. There were some plans you made for the League in case any League member ever went..."

Batman seemed to grow still as Zeke spoke, the man's fists clenching tighter on the table with each and every word. "Rogue," he finished what Zeke left unspoken.

Captain Atom glanced over at his teammate, a look of unhidden shock spreading across his face as Batman continued to sit there silently, his gaze focused on Zeke but his attention somewhere else entirely. He turned his shocked expression back to the boy in blue. "Son, these contingencies... what did Ra's _do_ with this information?"

"Uh, well," Zeke fidgeted slightly, not exactly sure how to phrase this tactfully. With a sigh, he shook his head, deciding to just blurt it out. "He used them. Took down almost everyone in the League, too."

Batman shifted slightly, the Dark Knight seeming to refocus again. At least, enough to demand an answer. "The League. You said things were different. Who was on the League?"

"League members? I…" His mind raced again, trying to remember what the timeline was for the League at that point and who had been on it at that point. Why did half of what he remembered seem like it was all taking place in the same year? "I'm not… not really sure, at least. It was smaller than it used to be when this happened. Something had happened but… I-I don't really remember _what,_ " Zeke replied, trying to buy himself some leeway for any holes Batman would eventually find. "So, it was Superman, Wonder Woman, _you_ , Aquaman, The Flash, Martian Manhunter, Plastic Man and a new Green Lantern, a fourth one named Kyle. Kyle Rayner."

"Plastic Man?" Captain Atom raised an eyebrow at the additions. " _Another_ Green Lantern?"

"Look, I didn't pick the guys," Zeke answered with a simple shrug. "I don't know what to tell you."

"Everyone else?" Batman asked. "You've mentioned you remember the League as being bigger."

"I don't remember how big the League was but it was pretty big." Zeke shrugged, unsure what to say. "I think all the others might have been reserve members for some reason."

"Reserves?" Captain Atom questioned, looking back with a confused frown. "Why would the League ha-"

"That's not important," Batman cut in, interrupting his teammate with a growl. "These contingencies? What were they?"

Zeke stared straight ahead for a moment, trying to recall exactly what they were in the first place. After a period of silence, he began with a sigh. "Martian Manhunter was hit with nanites mixed with magnesium to make him burst into flames, Plastic Man was frozen with liquid nitrogen and shattered, Aquaman was exposed to Scarecrow's fear gas and was so scared of water he almost dehydrated himself," The kid took a breath, Captain Atom leaning in closer as Batman sat there, rigid and unmoving.

"Green Lantern was blinded so he couldn't use his ring, Flash had seizures when he was shot with a special bullet that vibrated at his special frequency, Wonder Woman was forced to hallucinate a fight against her perfect equal in a fight until her body eventually gave out from the stress and Superman was exposed to a specially made type of Kryptonite that made his skin invisible and caused him a lot of pain..." Zeke paused, realizing that there was only one person left on the team, and stared at the two League members in front of him.

Captain Atom had his mouth open in shock, staring unbelievingly as Zeke finished speaking while Batman just sat there, seemingly stoic and unfeeling. "What of our other League members? Green Arrow? Captain Atom? Red Tornado... _myself_?"

"I don't know what to say," Zeke replied as he shook his head, trying not to let his nerves show on his face. "I can't really remember if the reserve members were attacked or not. All their information was still spread, though."

As if sensing the boy's unwillingness to answer the question he wanted to hear the most, Batman asked again. "The… _other_ Batman? The contingency for him; what was it?"

"I don't..." Zeke frowned, halting his words as he tried to think back. "I don't remember. There might not have been one." Despite not having to lie this time, the kid couldn't help but feel that same magnifying glass sensation almost intensify as Batman stared right into his eyes. _I wonder if Bruce Wayne ever lost a staring a contest as a kid._

Fighting the urge to smirk at his own joke, Zeke shook his head and continued staring back at the leader of the Justice League. "I don't think he ever thought he needed one."

After a moment of tense silence, Batman leaned back in his seat. The frown on his face had disappeared, but even then, the straight line of his mouth didn't seem any less grim. "Captain Atom, can you finish up here?."

The man in question nodded hesitantly, still reeling from some of the things he had learned. "Of course."

"Good." Turning to Zeke again, Batman continued. "You'll be staying at Mount Justice for the near future until the League can find you a more permanent residence. Captain Atom will explain everything else." Without a word more, the Dark Knight pulled away from the table as he stood up in one smooth movement and walked out the door, both the captain and the young boy staring after him.

Both mentor and protege turned back to look at each other, uncertainty clear on both their faces. They stayed like that for a while, almost locked in one long moment of silence.

"So, I'm guessing you know my whole story then," Captain Atom spoke up after some time. The small smile on his face that seemed slightly forced, obviously trying to ease the tension. "Considering you know everything else."

Zeke opened his mouth to reply with something of a joke but, with a shake of his head, changed his mind. What he knew of Captain Atom wasn't exactly joke-worthy, especially in front of the man himself. Instead, he decided to just come out with it. "...Captain Nathaniel Christopher Adam, framed for a crime he didn't commit and chose to participate in a military experiment in hopes of a presidential pardon. The experiment ended up bonding you to the metal and sending you into the future."

He tilted his head to the side, a tense smile on his lips. "I'm guessing that's pretty close to what happened here?"

"That's about the long and short of it, yes," Captain Atom said with a slight chuckle, nodding his head at Zeke's words. After a moment, he paused and leaned forward. "You know that pardon never did actually pan out. When I got back, they just decided to…" The captain gestured with one arm, splaying out his fingers, "let me go without much fuss. The benefits of being legally dead, I suppose." He chuckled again, but this time, the sound came out rather hollow.

There was silence again, the morbidity of Captain Atom's attempt at a joke not exactly successful at easing the tension. "So, uh," Zeke began again as the two continued to stare at each other, raising an eyebrow at his mentor, "when you picked the name ' _Captain Atom_ ', were you just being lazy or…"

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **HAPPY HARBOR, RHODE ISLAND  
JULY 9TH, 1:49 EDT**

Zeke slipped into the cavernous hallway, his sneakered feet surprisingly loud on the light brown marble-like material that served as flooring for most of this mountain base. Captain Atom had let him go a short while after Batman had left the room, a ten minute gap in between being the length of time it took for Zeke to give the metal-skinned hero an accounting of a few of the major heroes he could still remember.

The captain had been especially interested in the idea of Breach, comparing his existence to another metahuman named Major Force created in the same manner Captain Atom had. Then, Zeke had explained that he remembered a Major Force existing as well, which only left the captain wondering just how many similar military experiments the government had going.

Not too long after, the captain had brought the question and answer thing to a close, letting Zeke go to pick out a living space to make his own. It hadn't taken long for the kid to pick out a rather spacious room, with a brand new bed already inside and everything else he figured he'd need.

With that taken care of, Zeke stepped out of his brand new room, hands on his hips in a superhero pose as he decided that it was time for the main item on the agenda. _Operation: Make Superboy Like Me is a go!_

One hand came up in a glorious fist-pump that stopped being glorious about half-way through when Zeke suddenly realized that he had no idea where to find Superboy in this giant mountain base.

"... damn it."

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

"This has to be it, right?" Zeke paused where he stood, finally having found himself in front of what had to be the room belonging to Superboy.

At least, he assumed it was. After having gone through several hallways, a workout room, a couple dead ends, a library, another workout room, a locker room, a kitchen, a shower room, more vacant rooms than he honestly felt like counting, all of that before finding himself in a _a third workout room,_ Zeke doubted this could be anything else.

"Seriously, this place needs a map or something, _"_ The teen muttered to himself, raising his hand to knock on the door. "Either that or some arrows on the wall." Shaking his head, Zeke brought his fist down only for his hand to meet nothing but air as the door slid open.

Zeke gaped as Superboy stood in front of him once again, the big red "S" once again drawing his attention. _Pull it together, man._ "Hi! I'm Z-"

"You're standing outside my door." Superboy stated, ignoring whatever Zeke had begun to say. "Why?"

"Oh, you knew I was here, huh?" Zeke began, pulling his outstretched hand back from the doorway as Superboy continued to glare at him. He chuckled slightly, cocking his head to the side. "How could I forget, right? Super hearing, duh."

"No," Superboy intoned, dropping another roadblock in the conversation. "You're just loud."

"... _okay._ " _Not exactly as smooth as the Superboy I expected, but I can work with this._ Zeke offered the clone a beaming smile. "Anyway, my name's Zeke and uh, apparently, I live here now, so I just wanted to say hi." The smaller teen stuck his hand back out, this time extended in a proper handshake. "Hi."

Superboy stared at his outstretched hand and returned his gaze back to Zeke's face, his expression still the same frown as it usually seemed to be. "Hi."

Zeke's smile faltered just the slightest bit at Superboy's dismissal of his handshake, but he kept it strong as he pulled his hand back in. _Talk about your tough crowds. What's with this Superboy? Black shirt and jeans but none of the coolness._ "Look, I also wanted to say sorry for what happened today. I can get a little _excited_ around certain people and, in my defense, that shirt's really cool." Zeke beamed wider, determined to make this Superboy like him no matter what. "So, how about it, Conner, friends?"

While Zeke wasn't expecting a hug or anything special other than an acknowledgement of his words, he definitely wasn't expecting what happened next.

"Conner?" Superboy blinked, a confused expression replacing his smile. The teen moved forward, standing up straight as narrowed eyes stared down questioningly into Zeke's nervous gaze. "Who's Conner?"

 _Wait, what?_ The confusion wasn't limited to Superboy, Zeke opening his mouth slightly as he tried to process exactly what was going on. "But that's… Isn't that your… name? Connor K-" Zeke found himself leaning back, cutting himself off as Superboy began to advance on him. The clone stepped away from his doorway and Zeke began to back up, eyes widening as the confused expression became another scowling face.

"Who's Conner?"

"Do you… not use that here? I thought…" He tried to laugh off the situation, his voice taking on a slightly higher pitch as Superboy's expression began to shift back into annoyed frustration, the clone's hands tightening into fists at his sides. _Wow, this Superboy gets angry easy._

"Hey, you don't like Conner, I get it." Zeke raised his hands up to his face, palms out in the universal display of surrender. "You probably like to stick to your Kryptonian roots. I don't mind either way, Kon-E _Aahhh_!"

Suddenly lifted of the ground by the collar of his jumpsuit, Zeke found himself staring down at Superboy's scowling face, the scream still on his lips slowly petering out as he tried to control himself from freaking out. Although that was pretty hard to do, considering the person holding him could rip him in half like _wet toilet paper_!

* * *

 **[Paralyzing Fear]** negated by Gamer's Mind

* * *

The kid blinked as a wave of _something_ seemed to fill his mind, all the frantic fear and stress disappearing in an instant. _Seriously, Gamer's Mind is so coming in handy these d…_

He paused that line of thought, craning his head downwards to cast a glance at the angry demi-Kryptonian right in the middle of holding him one-armed by the scruff of his neck in a way that Zeke doubted was possible for anyone without some level of super strength. _Honestly, I feel way **too** calm right now. Weird._

" _Who. Is. Connor?"_ Superboy demanded, his voice a tight growl.

Still filled with an unnatural calm in the face of what could only be described as danger, Zeke cocked his head to side and gave as much of a shrug as he could while in the position he was.

"I… feel like we got off on the wrong foot."


	8. Genesis 1-8

**ThePeanutKing:** _Thank you, I try very hard not to write Gary Stus or Mary Sue's of any kind. I've never really gotten the point of writing an OP character or a skilled character of any sort if you can't really make him work for that power, simply to get people to understand them._

 **IamOminous:** _Thank you for your reviews. I will keep the points you made in mind._

 **MattKennedy:** _Thank you as well._

* * *

 **Genesis 1.8**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **HAPPY HARBOR MALL**

 **HAPPY HARBOR, RHODE ISLAND  
JULY 11TH, 2:36 EDT**

After coming to terms with the fact that he was a partly amnesiac universal immigrant, there were some things that Zeke had quickly understood, chief among those the idea that things would not exactly be as he expected in the DC Universe. Even further, that certain parts of the world wouldn't match up with what pop culture he could remember from his old life.

Dragon Ball not existing was sad, but it was far from unexpected. After all, what was the point of having a Japanese Superman character when the _actual_ Superman was already a real thing, flying around and fighting all the giant monsters and kaiju? Pokemon not being a thing was also a letdown but apparently, it's place had been taken over by Digimon which was… interesting, to say the least.

This, though? Zeke wasn't sure how to feel about this.

* * *

 **LexTendo: LexGo V**

 _A gaming device designed by LexCorp Incorporated branch company, LexTendo, the LexGo is the most popular handheld gaming device in the United States, sharing compatibility with many of the games on the LexTendo Genesis to possess one of the largest libraries of games for a portable console, far surpassing the WayneTech Rush Pro._

 **Price:** $249

* * *

 _...Huh. That's…_ The slightly puzzled expression on his face didn't fade, even as he continued to stare at the device in front of him, one eyebrow raised. _Well, that's just plain weird. Lex Luthor does games? And I guess,_ he tilted his head to the side as he looked over the description on the blue box of text once more, _so does Bruce Wayne for some reason._

His lips pursed as he leaned forward on the glass counter, purposely ignoring the dirty look he was getting from the clerk not too far from him. _I mean, it makes sense - diversify your portfolio or whatever - but still… weird._

Zeke's train of thought switched rapidly, shifting from inquisitive confusion to excitement as another blue box replaced the previous one.

* * *

 **Observe - Level Up!**

 **5→6**

* * *

 _Nice!_ Leaning away from the counter as the notification popped into his line of sight out of nowhere, Zeke thrust his hands up, rapidly fist-pumping the air in quick succession. _Another one! Another one, baby!_

As weird as it may have looked, the excitement he was displaying was entirely justified. At least it was, in his opinion. After a month with almost no luck, he had somehow created a new skill just the other day, the notification for it appearing almost out of nowhere.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –  
Yesterday  
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

* * *

 **Skill Created!**

 **Observe**

 _Ain't learning fun?_

Out of a desire to learn more about something despite not having the means to, this skill was formed. Train it up to learn more about the world around you and the people you meet.

 **Cost:** 1 MP

* * *

Shocked at the sudden appearance of a brand-new skill, the contents of his mouth shot out, drenching the table in front of him with milk and cereal. Unbelieving eyes blinked at the notification, only for it to vanish in front of his eyes after a few moments.

A low growling noise made its way into his ears, the sound disrupting his feeling of shock and bringing him back down to earth.

Glancing up, Zeke found himself facing Superboy, the Boy of Steel glaring murderously at him as soggy cornflakes and droplets of milk dripped from his upper body. A little off to the side, Miss Martian seemed to shift between a mortified expression and a constipated one, the green girl obviously holding back the urge to laugh.

Zeke gave the clone a weak grin. "... My bad."

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –  
Now  
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Zeke wasn't exactly sure how staring really hard at Superboy had ended up creating him a skill, considering how he didn't get anything from the act but a notification box full of question marks. Strangely enough, the cereal accident hadn't done anything to help his relationship with Superboy at all, the clone still as heated as ever towards him.

Thankfully, Superboy hadn't gotten to that same level of anger from his first day in the cave. Otherwise, Zeke doubted he could feel safe while in the cave's gym, especially when Superboy seemed to spend even more time in there than he did.

"Zeke!"

The kid jerked to attention, head snapping up as a deep voice called out his name. His musing cut short, Zeke hurriedly stepped away from the "LexGo" on the counter to the obvious relief of the clerk and quickly turned around, internally grimacing at the sight of the man standing at the doorway to the game store.

"I take it you have a good reason as to why you went off on your own?" Blue eyes narrowed at the boy, making him have to fight the urge to wince at the question. Thick arms folded over his chest as he awaited an answer, solidifying the stereotypical pose of an annoyed adult. And to the eyes of those who were looking towards him right now, that's all he appeared to be.

Not Captain Atom, quantum-powered member of the Justice League.

Just an annoyed adult.

Albeit a tall, muscular and white-haired one.

Unsure of what to say, Zeke gave him a sheepish grin, even as the taller man stared down at him with a stern expression.

"Uhhh, you see," Blue eyes narrowed further and this time Zeke couldn't help the urge to wince. Well aware that ' _Oooh, shiny_ ' probably wasn't gonna be a reason that his mentor would accept, Zeke shook his head slowly. "No… not really. I just got… uh, distracted," he replied, casting a glance back at the white device resting on the display counter. He couldn't help but be drawn to the futuristic looking console, the shiny golden L on it drawing his attention. "There's a lot of cool stuff in here."

"We're supposed to be getting you some clothes, not…" Captain Atom gestured at the video games and consoles that lined the walls of the store, muscles visible underneath the blue dress shirt he had on, "playing around with these…these things."

"Sorry… again," he parroted, offering the captain a lame shrug in addition to the grin, neither seeming to soften the look on the man's face. Zeke frowned slightly as the words left his mouth, realizing how weak the apology sounded as well. _Is there a better way to say 'sorry' than sorry?_

The white-haired man shook his head, his arms dropping down to his sides. "Just don't do it again." With that said, Captain Atom began to make his way out of the aptly named ' _Games and Stuff',_ Zeke quickly following behind. "We still have to find you something to fill your closet."

Brushing shoulders as he squeezed through a group of people crowding outside the game store, he tilted his head at the statement. "Actua- _excuse me_ ", Zeke cut himself off to shoot a dirty look at an older teen who had bumped into him, the guy not even bothering to look back.

"Jerk."

Turning back to Captain Atom's steadily retreating form, Zeke's eyes widened slightly as he realized the incognito superhero hadn't bothered to slow down as he made his way through the mall's summer crowds with his military gait. With a sigh, the young man shook his head and began to pick up the pace.

"I… uh, I actually don't _have_ a closet," Zeke corrected as he caught up to the captain, trying to keep the conversation going. Walking even faster to keep up with his mentor's long strides, he glanced up at the man, one side of his mouth turned down in an odd frown as he spoke up again. "It's more of a set of dressers, to be honest."

Captain Atom nodded curtly. "Well, then, we'll fill those up."

The conversation ended there, Captain Atom's simple response leaving Zeke unsure of what to say to keep it going. Other than information of what he knew of the Justice League and a few questions on how he had liked S.T.A.R. Labs, he and the captain had never talked much in. After all, it wasn't like there was much they had in common.

So many radical differences and cultural roadblocks existed in general that Zeke was working overtime not to come off like a rube, constantly looking stuff up on his S.T.A.R. Tab. Thankfully, Miss Martian was pretty much in the same situation as he was, having just come over from Mars like a week ago. For all Zeke knew, Superboy was in the same boat as well, but he couldn't say that with any certainty. Apart from intense glaring, Superboy wasn't really in the mood to communicate.

Again, the young teen had to give thanks for the fact that Miss Martian was around, the green girl managing to draw Superboy's attention away from him with her perky attitude. _Talk about silver linings,_ Zeke mused with a tilt of his head. _Man, if it wasn't for her, Superboy might have actually put me through a wall by now._

"Ah, here we are."

Pulled out of his thoughts, Zeke glanced over at his mentor, the man nodding to himself as he came to a stop in front of what was obviously a clothing store, the mannequins in the windows already making that clear.

 _Huh. Forever Sixteen Suburban Outfitters._ Zeke let out a slight hum as he read the sign above the glass double doors. His face turned down into a slight frown, the expression one of confusion rather than displeasure. _Why does that sound familiar?_

"Let's head on in." Zeke turned to face the captain, the man's large hand patting him on the shoulder as he stepped forward. "Best not to waste any time."

Captain Atom pushed open the door, the glass pane swinging open at the same time as someone else seemed to be pulling it from the other side. Nearly slamming her face into the glass, a woman stumbled forward into the doorway as she left the store.

"Pardon me, ma'am." Stepping back and out of the woman's way, Captain Atom pushed the door open wider and held it for the woman, nodding at her to go on ahead. "Allow me."

"Oh, a gentleman." The woman gave Captain Atom a smile that Zeke thought might have been pretty if her eyes also weren't trailing up and down his mentor's body. Altogether, it was a lick of the lips away from being full-on creepy. "That's nice to see."

"It's no problem, ma'am," Captain Atom responded, hand still on the door. "Just common manners."

"I wish," the woman added, punctuating the sentence with a wink. "But thank you all the same."

 _Is this really happening right now?_ Rolling his eyes at the obvious attempt at flirting, Zeke waited for her to move out of the way.

Nearly an entire fifteen seconds later, he was still waiting.

Instead of moving on like he expected, the lady continued to exchange glances with Captain Atom, the man still dutifully holding the door for her with all the patience in the world. Zeke's eyelids drooped, his shoulders slumping slightly as he realized she wasn't gonna move on her own.

 _Okay, let's wrap this up._ Stepping forward slightly to fall into place next to Captain Atom, the teen let out a loud, obnoxious throat-clearing noise, drawing both of the adult's attention onto him.

The woman seemed to stall, her train of thought coming to a screeching halt, as her eyes landed on Zeke. Her gaze switching back and forth between Captain Atom and Zeke several times, slowly enough that he could swear he saw the gears turning in her head. A smile appeared on her face, this one slightly forced, as she stared down at the boy sending her a bored look.

"Well," she began, after a long moment of awkward silence, "I'll just be going, then."

Captain Atom nodded, as patient as ever. "I wouldn't want to keep you."

"That's… Thank you again." The woman nodded hesitantly, giving him an awkward grin and a wave before quickly retreating into the passing throng of people, leaving Captain Atom and Zeke to walk into the store, albeit at a much more measured pace.

"Mmm" Zeke lifted his eyebrows as they entered, letting out a low breath of air. "That was kinda… weird, right?" _Not as weird as a time-travelling silver man that can fly, but still weird._

"Was it?" Captain Atom let out a soft laugh as he spoke, pausing his stride for a moment as he glanced over at Zeke. "I couldn't tell."

 _Oookay._ Pursing his lips, Zeke opened his mouth to say something but, as he noticed the smile on Captain Atom's face, he decided not to ask the question on his mind. Odds were the man already knew.

Honestly, how couldn't he know?

It didn't take any sort of super-powered eyes to see that Captain Atom's human form was only slightly less attention grabbing than his superhero look, in Zeke's honest opinion. While there wasn't any rush of people clamoring for a photo or an autograph or whatever, Zeke couldn't help but notice the steadily increasing number of women, both older and close to his age, whose attention seemed drawn to his mentor as the man walked by them. _Huh, that must be nice._

"Zeke."

"Huh?" Blinking, the young man brought his attention back to his mentor, the man standing near a rack of clothes in a random aisle. Holding up a black shirt with a familiar red S on the front, his mentor tilted his head towards him.

"Any interest in these?"

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **HAPPY HARBOR MALL**

 **HAPPY HARBOR, RHODE ISLAND**

 **JULY 11TH, 3:19 EDT**

"So,why are we here again?" Zeke asked, glancing around the store they were in with a half-hearted expression. Both of hands were free, despite the fact that less than five minutes ago, he had been laden down with several large bags full of clothes. One trip to the bathroom later and his inventory had several new additions.

Eyes focused on the tall shelf full of books in front of him, Captain Atom didn't turn to look at Zeke. Instead, he let out a low sigh, his mouth turning down into a slight frown. "I'm just trying to find something important. It won't take long."

 _In a bookstore?_ Zeke tilted his head to the side, lips pursed in obvious confusion. _I mean, books are good and all, but important?_ "No problem, I'll just wait over there," Zeke replied, gesturing over his shoulder towards a set of comfortable-looking overstuffed chairs near the front of the bookstore.

"Go ahead. I'll be done in a short while." Captain Atom said with a nod, the man folding his arms over his chest as he turned back to the bookshelf.

As he began to walk away, Zeke glanced over his shoulder again to see the captain picking up several books and flipping through them before replacing them back on the shelf. By itself, it didn't seem all that weird but the specific category of books he seemed interested in did make Zeke more than a little curious. _I wonder why a superhero would be in the self-help section._

Shrugging off the thought, he walked over to the section full of furniture and dropped himself into the thick leather chair, letting out a sigh as he felt himself sinking deep into the piece of furniture. His action didn't go unnoticed by one of the store workers and a few store-goers, the clerk in question looking over at him… questioningly.

Returning the clerk's look with a faux-innocent grin and a not-at-all-mocking wave, the kid leaned back into the leather chair. _Man, this is one nice chair,_ he thought as he nodded to himself. _It's actually comfortable, too. Better than the ones in the Cave by a long shot._

He leaned further back and closed his eyes, nestling the back of his head into the material in an attempt to maximize his comfortability. _Now, if it only was a recliner. That'd be heaven._ The armchair let out its own noise as he continued to settle into it, a small little squeak of leather that Zeke couldn't help but snicker at, the sound just similar enough to a fart to trigger his sense of humor.

A moment later, there was another noise, this one both not quite as funny and not from the chair. Zeke opened his eyes, a slightly annoyed bent to his expression as he glanced down at his stomach. A moment later, his stomach growled again.

"Aww crap," Zeke let out an exasperated breath as his stomach continued protesting, the churning feeling in his abdomen just adding to his general feeling of annoyance. Shaking his head, Zeke reached into his pocket, the whispered words of "Inventory" on his lips and the image of what he wanted in his head.

As he pulled his hand back out of his jeans pocket, he held a thick golden object in his grasp, the plastic crinkling as the item left a pocket that really shouldn't have fit it. Glancing down at the bar in his hands, Zeke whispered another word. "Observe."

* * *

 **Kalteen Nutrition Bar**

 _A high-calorie, high-protein nutrition bar designed by Swedish company, Dante Foods, Kalteen was originally designed to assist the diet of starving children in third-world countries. However, it's often a recommended item by many health professionals to anorexics or patients suffering from malnutrition._

 _That means you, dummy. Eat up._

 **\+ 10 HP regen for 5 minutes (Non-Stackable)**

 **\+ 10 Will Regen for 5 minutes**

 **\+ 25 HP for 5 minutes (Non-Stackable)**

 **\+ 25 Will for 5 minutes**

* * *

Rolling his eyes at the personalized message that the description had for him, Zeke tore open one end of the gold wrapping plastic with his teeth and took a rather large bite out of the bar. Tilting his head to the side, Zeke continued to chew on the candy bar, the thick chocolate and wafer-like texture delicious even despite the slight chalky aftertaste.

The Kalteen bars had been one of the few things that he had received while at S.T.A.R. Labs, along with the jumpsuits and the tablet device. Apparently, the bars were supposed to fix his malnutrition problem, or so they had told him. It wasn't like he doubted what the lab-coats said, to be honest. No, he was just wondering how long the whole thing was supposed to take. _Almost a whole month of having these bars twice a day and I'm still seeing malnourished on my status._ Taking another bite of the bar, Zeke sunk lower into the seat. _I seriously need that status effect gone if I'm gonna get anywhere._

It was an annoyance, to be honest. Putting in hours of work most days trying to make himself stronger and for what? All of that effort just to see his stats get slashed by a third and his health decimated by a status effect that he couldn't remove. Zeke turned his head to the side, pausing in the middle of a sigh as he spotted Captain Atom approaching him. As he had just begun to get comfortable, he couldn't help but grouse under his breath, "That was quick."

"I suppose so," Captain Atom nodded, not missing a beat as he responded. "I did say I wouldn't take long, after all. Are you ready to head back?"

 _Why not?_ Shrugging, Zeke pocketed the remainder of the Kalteen bar and pulled himself off of the chair. "If you are."

"Actually," the captain responded, his voice low, "I forgot to ask. Are you sure you didn't want to pick out something for yourself? You mentioned that you remembered spending a lot of time reading before."

 _He remembered that?_ Zeke raised an eyebrow. _I mentioned that like almost a month ago, though._ "Well, yeah, but most of that was sci-fi and like regular comics and…" Zeke paused, wondering if the captain would understand what manga was, "... stuff." _Yeah, let's go with stuff._

"Comics, huh?" Captain Atom nodded distantly, one hand rising to cup his chin. His eyes fell to Zeke again, the man wearing a slight smile as he tapped his chin thoughtfully. "You wouldn't happen to have read any Captain Atom, have you?"

 _What!_ Zeke's eyes widened, blinking rapidly as the captain's words left him reeling. " _What?_ " His words echoed his thoughts, mouth open as he tried to think of what to say other than the same syllable. "I m-m-mean, Captain Atom? Me? Why… why would there be any Captain Atom comics?" The last sentence was said with as much surprise as he could fake on the spot, which was surprisingly a lot.

Captain Atom tilted his head, giving Zeke a questioning look. "Are you alright?"

"... I'm good, yeah," he responded with a forced grin, eyes darting around to make sure that no one was paying attention to him after his outburst. "Just surprised. Are you.. You're in comics?"

"Well, not me, exactly, but yes, Captain Atom is… _was_ a comic book." He spoke the words in a lowered tone of voice, low enough that only the two of them could hear, the man looking over Zeke's head as he continued speaking. "Charlton Comics was big when I was your age and they had a hero called Captain Atom. Even though I was a bit too old for the books, he was still my favorite hero."

The incognito superhero nodded his head at his own words, still not even looking at the young man in front of him. "Then… well, you know, I ended up like my hero, white hair and all." His gaze seeming to refocus, Captain Atom dropped a hand on Zeke's shoulder and the young man stared up at the thin flat line of his mouth, the expression threatening to turn into a frown at any moment. "Between you and me, I'd never thought I'd have to take the name but..."

Captain Atom paused and let his words trail off there before, all of a sudden, his blank expression turned up into a smile that Zeke wasn't sure he believed. "But enough about me. That's old news. This is about you. Are you sure you don't want to pick up a book?"

"Umm," Zeke frowned in thought for a moment, glancing back at the shelves. He opened his mouth to respond in the negative, only to pause as his eyes landed on a single title laid out on a stand. As he read the cover, a slight smile pulled at the side of his mouth.

"Now that you mention it…"

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **HAPPY HARBOR MALL**

 **HAPPY HARBOR, RHODE ISLAND**

 **JULY 11TH, 3:27 EDT**

* * *

 **Skin Like Scales, Fists Like Claws: The Basics of Dragon Style Kung Fu**

 **By Richard Dragon**

 _Written by famous action movie star and martial artist, Richard Drakunovski, this book goes over the essentials of what it means to be a practitioner of Dragon Style Kung Fu and gives an idea of how to practice several basic techniques anyone interested in almost any sort of martial arts should already know._

 _What? Did you honestly think you could learn to be a martial arts master from a book?_

Completing this book will grant Ability: [Basic Martial Arts] Lv 1

Completing this book will grant Ability: [Breathing Control] Lv 1

* * *

Zeke clutched the book at his side, the thick hardcover tight in his grip as he kept pace with Captain Atom on their way out of the mall. He couldn't believe his luck. Like, honestly, he _really_ couldn't believe his luck right now.

A book by _the_ Richard Dragon?

And for only $9.99, too?

Talk about a deal!

The guy was like the Iron Fist of the DC universe, or… _something_ like that. _Right? I mean, he doesn't have the glowy fist and all but he can use ki, right? Or is it chi… or qi?_ Zeke frowned, glancing off to the side as he tried to recall what exactly Richard Dragon did other than supposedly being really _really_ good at punching stuff. _He can…_

He blinked, pursing his lips slightly.

 _Huh._ As nothing seemed to come to him, Zeke shrugged. Whether or not he knew exactly what Richard Dragon could do, the man was supposed to be way better than Lady Shiva _and_ Bronze Tiger, and those guys were supposed to be better at fighting than Batman.

A better fighter than _the_ Batman.

That had to count for something, right?

Also, there was the fact that the guy's name was literally _Dick Dragon._

Really, it was only thanks to what little self-control Zeke had that prevented him from breaking out laughing every time that name came into his thoughts. Well, that... Zeke tilted his head to the side and pulled a face, ... _and the fact that I'd have to explain to the captain why I'm laughing like I just snorted Joker Gas._ He shook his head at the image, letting out a slight snort at the same time.

 _Speaking of Captain Atom..._

Zeke turned to the side and gave his mentor a glance, the both of them walking at a rather steady pace as they made their way through the mall parking lot. A slight smile spread across his face and, after a moment, he opened his mouth. "Hey, Captain, thanks for today… all this. It was… It was nice."

The captain gave a slight shake of the head at Zeke's words, an odd look in his eyes as he turned his head to face his protege."You don't need to thank me at all, Zeke. I just thought you'd need something else to wear," the captain responded, one eyebrow raised. "Other than a jumpsuit at least. If I can't do that much for you, then what was the point of me taking you on?"

Zeke's smile perked up, the side of his mouth threatening to turn into a full-on grin. "I guess you're right."

"In fact…" Captain Atom slowed his pace slightly, his hand reaching into the white plastic bag emblazoned with the words 'Litteralis Bookstore' on it. "There's something else that I felt I should get for you." Pulling his hand out from the bag, his mentor held a book out to Zeke, the man seeming to study the teen's face. "I felt you might need it."

Unsure of what exactly to say, Zeke silently placed his other book under his arm so that he could look over what Captain Atom was offering him. As he grabbed hold of the softcover, he stared for a few seconds before uttering a single word under his breath. "Observe."

* * *

 **Understanding Your Inner Power**

 **By Henry King, Jr**

 _A guide to understanding oneself and coming to terms with all that makes you_ _ **you.**_ _This book contains information on the time-honored skill of calming the spirit, focusing the body and clearing the mind for higher understanding._

Completing this book will grant Ability: [Meditation] Lv 1

 _Another skillbook?_ "Uhh… wow, I mean..." Zeke shook his head roughly, letting out an exasperated sigh before he glanced back up at his mentor. "I mean, thank you… but why _this_ book?"

"It helped me when I needed it." Captain Atom's expression turned downwards into a frown for a moment, before returning back to a flat, stoic line. "When I came back a few years ago, I was a mess. The world had changed and everything… _everyone_ had left me behind. I couldn't even rely on myself to be the same. It took me a while to figure out exactly what I could do and even longer to get it under control. I don't think your situations all that different." The captain tapped the book in Zeke's grip with a single finger before continuing in a low voice. "Honestly, a book just like this is what helped me get there."

"Seriously, captain…" Zeke raised his hand, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly as he tried to find something better to say than a simple 'Thanks' for like the fifth time in just as many minutes. Moments passed and no words came to mind, and the boy sighed, willing to accept defeat. "...Thank you."

Captain Atom gave a soft little laugh, shaking his head as he dropped an arm onto Zeke's shoulder. "You're welcome, son. Just do me one favor," The man paused, taking in a slight breath that Zeke knew very well that he didn't need.

"Yeah?"

"...Call me Nate."

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **Ability Learned: Basic Martial Arts**

 **Ability Learned: Breathing Control**

 **Ability Learned: Meditation**

 **Basic Martial Arts: Lvl Up!**

 **1→2**

 **Breathing Control: Lvl Up!**

 **1→2**

 **Meditation: Lvl Up!**

 **1→2**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **Ezekiel Patrick Armstrong**

 **Title:** None

 **Level 1**

 **XP:** 50/250

 **Age:** 13

 **HP:** 110/110* _[310]_

 **MP:** 65/65

 **Will:** 85/85

 **STR:** 13* _[19]_

 **SPD:** 19* _[27]_

 **VIT:** 20*

 **INT:** 14

 **WIS:** 8

 **CHA:** 10

 **Stat Points:** 2

Perk Points: 0

 **Cash:** $375

* * *

 **Traits**

 **Malnourished:** Too little to eat for too long has weakened your body, drained you of vitality and made you more susceptible to bumps and bruises. **(-30% to STR & SPD, Health does not gain VIT bonus, Health/Will recovery is slowed by 50%, and Will-based skills cost twice as much)**

 **Bright Kid:** While you're no genius or some prodigy, you're obviously brighter than most kids. By the time you're an adult, however, no one will care. **(Before the age of 18: +75% to INT gain and +25% to speed of learning Mana-based skills/abilities)**

* * *

 **Perks**

None

* * *

 **Skills**

 **Observe Lv 6**

 _Kinda like a scouter, but less cool somehow._

Allows you to view the status or qualities of anyone or anything, allowing you to learn information about them.

 **Power Sprint Lv 7**

 _You'll never be the Flash relying on this alone. Still, we've all gotta start somewhere._ **  
**While active, your running speed increases by 5% per level. **(35%)  
Cost: **1 Will/s

 **Power Strike Lv 2** _Not exactly a heavy hitter quite yet._ Increases the STR value and knockback of your physical strikes by 10% per level. **(20%)**

 **Cost:** 5 Will

* * *

 **Abilities**

 **Gamer's Body Lv. MAX** _Allows your body to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character._ Sleeping restores HP, MP, Will and removes most negative status effects. Health, Will, and Mana regenerate at a base of 1 point every 30 seconds. Food and drink items can accelerate recovery.

 **Gamer's Mind Lv. MAX** _Allows your mind to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character._ Grants immunity to mental status effects, emotional trauma and severely damaging emotional states. Grants immunity to forceful/unwanted mental intrusion.

 **Basic Martial Arts Lv. 2  
** _Heroes prefer fists. Apparently, so do sidekicks.  
_ This ability measures your skill and intuition in bare-handed combat, allowing for rapid growth and adaptation in martial arts.

 **Breathing Control Lv. 2  
** _Batman can breathe in space. Why can't you?_ The ability to use oxygen efficiently, enabling you to hold your breath for extended periods of time. Increases by 1 minute every level. **(2 minutes)**

 **Meditation Lv. 2  
** _When the mind is enlightened, the spirit is freed and the body matters not.  
_ The ability to train your mind in order to achieve a state of oneness with your spiritual essence and life force, as well your mind and body.


	9. Genesis 1-9

**ThePeanutKing** : _Thank you. I try really hard to make sure that my characters are both flawed and relatable._

 **Ciel Blaze** : _Thank you, Ciel._

 **IamOminous:** _Thank you as well. I think the important part of any character is making sure that they are humanized. A character that you can't relate to isn't much of a character._

 **TediousExploit:** _I have read With This Ring. Personally, I think that it's a good story or at least, good for what it set out to be. I have my own problems with it but then again, everyone has problems with any story._

 **Mr Beaver Buttington:** _Well, he is 13. There aren't that many suave or smooth 13 year olds out there, unless you count Dick Grayson._

* * *

 **Genesis 1.9**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **MOUNT JUSTICE**

 **HAPPY HARBOR, RHODE ISLAND  
JULY 14TH, 2:36 EDT**

At one point in time, the main gym located in Mount Justice would have been filled with the sound of activity, Green Arrow and both of the Hawk-couple often taking advantage of the extensive equipment to keep in fighting shape.

Now, apart from Superboy's pointless use of equipment that was literally no effort to him, it was usually silent, the place was usually as quiet as a graveyard with no one being found in it.

Today was only slightly different, with the gym nearly as silent as ever as one young man sat on a yoga mat in the center of the cavernous room. His chest rose and fell slowly, his eyelids fluttering ever so slightly as he simply sat there, still and in perfect… " _Ah-choo!_ "

Zeke opened his eyes and let out a sigh, his expression turning down into a frown as he rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. "So… _close._ " He let out a frustrated growl, the serious expression on his face entirely out of place with the way he was wiggling his bare toes and fingers. "And… now, I'm numb. Perfect."

Really, there were only so many times he could sit in this criss-cross position before his legs started to go numb and, honestly, he wasn't looking forward to getting up again only to face-plant into the marble floor.

At least, not again.

"Two days," he grumbled, absent-mindedly scratching his nose again. "Two whole days of this and nothing!" _Well, it hasn't even been two, really. If anything, I've spent like seven hours, at the most, actually meditating._ Ignoring his own pedantic inner voice, Zeke continued muttering under his breath at the perceived unfairness of his own powers.

It had been two days since _Nate_ had taken him shopping at Happy Harbor Mall. It had been two days since he had finished reading the books on martial arts and meditation. It also had been _two whole days_ since he had been stuck on the second level of the latter ability.

 _I don't get why this is so hard. I leveled martial arts_ **(2→3)** _and breathing_ **(2→6).** _This shouldn't be like this. It's like…_ Zeke groaned again, dropping his chin down onto his chest. He let out a deep breath as he stared at his hands resting on his lap. _It's like I hit a wall in my own head or something._

Mental walls aside, Zeke knew he had to keep trying if he was going to get anywhere. He was part of a team now, a team full of young superheroes. Granted, he hadn't met most of that team and the members of the team he had met hadn't actually done _any_ superheroing, from what he knew, but still...

 _They're all still better than me,_ he thought to himself as his hands tightened into was an undeniable fact. In a fight, he was the weakest link on this team. Granted, he hadn't seen any of them in a fight but he didn't _really_ need to, to be honest.

From what he knew from the comics, it was a given that Miss Martian was stronger and faster than him. After all, Martians were just green Kryptonians with psychic powers and shapeshifting on top of that. Superboy was half a Kryptonian and definitely not lacking in strength in any way. Hell, from what Zeke could remember, the clone was only slightly weaker than Superman which was all sorts of overpowered.

As for the other three members of the team he hadn't met yet; Aqualad, Robin, and Kid Flash? Well, the first was basically Diet Aquaman, the second was trained by _Batman_ himself, and the third had the Speed Force, nuff said. Each of them could outdo him without even trying. As he was right now, Zeke was far from even being considered the weakest link.

 _Even worse, I'm like a paper clip next to an iron chain…_ Zeke thought as he settled back into position, fighting the urge to fidget as he crossed his legs. Bringing his fists together, he placed both of them in front of his chest as his knuckles pressed into each other. _I have to keep trying._

The boy shut his eyes once more, drawing a deep breath as he began to mutter under his breath. The book had mentioned using _'a repetitive statement, in co-unison with your breath as an aid to focus, relaxation and transcending mundane thoughts'_ so Zeke had simply relied on the example the book offered instead of wasting time trying to make his own.

"Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out… breathe in… breathe out… brea-"

"Hello, Ezekiel!"

"Gah!" Hazel eyes snapped open as Zeke's head jerked up, the loud sound of a perky voice shattering his concentration like fine glass. Letting out a shaky breath at the sudden surprise, Zeke stared up at the figure standing at the open doorway to the gym.

"Hey, M'gann…" Pulling himself to his feet, he gave the green girl a smile that was only somewhat forced. "What's up?" He couldn't help but look her up and down as he greeted her, still unable to push back the part of him that questioned how superheroes could even exist. More specifically, how superpowers could even exist. _I mean, come on, she has freckles. On green skin. How does that even work?_

"Oh, nothing," Miss Martian replied, her hair swishing to the side as she shook her head. "I just came by to see if you wanted some cookies."

"Cookies?" Zeke's head snapped up at the mention of treats.

"Yep! Fresh out of the oven," Megan clapped her hands together in front of her chest and shot Zeke a bright grin. "They're cooling right now but I just wanted to see if you liked chocolate chip!"

 _Do I even like chocolate chip cookies?_ Zeke thought to himself, trying to dredge up memories that weren't in any way pop-culture related one more time. Shrugging when nothing seemed to come up, Zeke gave Megan a much more natural smile. "Chocolate chip sounds great, M'gann. Don't know if I've ever had any before, but chocolate always sounds good to me."

The green girl cringed, her smile drawing inwards as she batted her palm against the side of her head. "Hello, Megan! I forgot that you had amnesia." She shook her head as she offered Zeke another smile, this one far weaker than the first. "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it," Zeke replied, raising a hand to literally wave away her apology. "I mean, it doesn't bug me that much anyway." Under his breath, Zeke muttered, " _I've got bigger things to stress over anyway."_

The Martian girl blinked as she took a single step forward across the threshold. "Really? Bigger than your memories?"

Now, it was Zeke's turn to blink, mouth falling open slightly. "Y-you… you heard that?"

Miss Martian nodded. "Yeah." After a moment, she raised an eyebrow, confusion clear on her face as her smile shrunk again. "Was I not supposed to?'

Zeke held back a groan, instead opting to wave off the question again. "No, no, it's fine. I was just… not paying that much attention to what came out of my mouth," he responded, trying to find some way to salvage the conversation. _And of course, she has really good hearing too._ _Green Kryptonians, man. Green Kryptonians._

" _Anywho,_ " Zeke continued, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand, "I figure I'll get my memories back eventually but till then…" He let out a deep sigh, "I'm just trying to get my powers to work with me here."

M'gann took another step over the threshold, her head tilting to the side. "Your powers aren't working?"

"Uhhh, not exactly," he began, brain working hard as he tried to get his words together, "It's just that I… can _feel_ something inside me when I use my powers and I glow too, so I'm pretty suremy powers have to do with energy control." _I mean, they kinda have to, right? Mana is for magic spells and stuff and will… I'm pretty sure will makes me stronger and faster._

Pausing to take a breath, Zeke continued. "From what Captain Atom told me,I need to meditate to learn how to do that. The only thing is…"

"Oh!" M'gann cut in, her face brightening. Suddenly floating a few inches off the floor, the green girl quickly zipped over to him in an odd vertical flying motion that was more than a little unnerving given how fast she did it. "You don't know how, right?"

 _Ugh, creepy._ Zeke blinked again as he craned his neck up to stare at the Martian, his eyes still wide at her sudden movement. "Uhh… umm, yeah." He nodded, finally having processed the question. "Well… I read a book but I feel like that only got me to the first l-" Zeke snapped his mouth shut before he could finish saying the word "level", his eyes widening slightly.

"The first steps, I understand." M'gann didn't seem to notice his sudden pause as she lowered herself back down to the floor, nodding her head in thought.

 _Roll with it._

"Yes, exactly." Zeke replied as he nodded along with her. "The first steps."

"Don't worry about it," M'gann chirped. "Meditation is almost always hard to get for beginners. How long have you been practicing?"

The young teen shrugged, holding up five fingers. "Uhh, one, three… carry the four… about two days." After a moment, he tilted his head to the side. "More like six hours spread over two days, if I'm gonna be honest."

"W-wow," Miss Martian blinked. "Two days? You really are a beginner."

"Yeah," Zeke sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I'm a rookie in a lot of things."

"Well," the martian girl replied, bringing her hands together in a loud clap. With a smile on her face that was as perky as it was wide, she stepped in even closer to Zeke and dropped her hands on his shoulders. "At least I can help you with _this_ thing. Let's get to it!"

Without hesitating, M'gann began pulling Zeke over to the edge of the gym where a large set of mats were laid out on the floor. In his head, Zeke couldn't help but grouse. _And here I thought meditation was all about being calm?_

Ten minutes later, Zeke found himself sitting in the same position he was in before M'gann entered the gym, with the stark difference of a green girl sitting in a similar position across from him. M'gann's hands were held out to her sides, her thumb and index finger on both hands making a small circle, while Zeke's were clenched together, fists meeting each other at the knuckles.

His legs were starting to lose feeling again, after another session of sitting in place, and just like before, his nose was already beginning to itch. _I could be grinding my stats right now or reading or doing anything else but this. Why does meditation have to be so hard?_

"Focus inwards."

M'gann's voice interrupted his thoughts, her tone much calmer than he expected from her given her natural energetic personality.

"I _am,_ " Zeke replied, tone ringing with only the slightest bit of frustration. Not at Miss Martian, of course, but in general. _Seriously, I followed the book's instructions. I did the breathing exercises and everything. What else do I have to do?_

"You don't feel like it."

"Are… are you reading my mind?" Zeke's eyes opened wide, the young man shooting Miss Martian a slightly nervous glance.

"No." Just like that, Zeke let out a relieved sigh, closing his eyes only to tense up as Miss Martian continued. "But I can _feel_ your mind. You're trying so hard that you're projecting your thoughts out."

Opening a single eye, Zeke glanced at Miss Martian again, the green girl looking utterly calm as she continued to focus. He sighed again, before deciding he might as well ask for more pointers past 'Focus inward.'

"Can we forget about 'focus inward' for a moment?" Zeke asked with a slight shake of his head. At this, Miss Martian opened her eyes and stared at him with a confused glance.

Before she could open her mouth to respond, Zeke pre-empted her words, with a raised hand, "Not that I don't appreciate the help or anything… I just need a little more detail, 'cause sitting here and trying to 'focus inwards' isn't really helping me get anywhere."

M'gann tilted her head to the side, letting out a soft hum for a second or two. "I'm sorry. This worked with my brothers and sisters when I helped them learn." The girl seemed to slump a little, dropping her hands onto her lap. "Maybe I'm not the best at teaching humans."

 _Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's it._ Rather than voice his thoughts, Zeke patted the older girl's hand reassuringly, once again waving off her words with a smile on his face. "Nah, come on, M'gann. You're a great teacher. It's probably just me being super dense, you know."

"Like," Still smiling, the teen lightly slapped his palm against the side of his head, just like the Martian girl had done not too long ago, "Hello, Zeke! M'gann's trying to help you and all you're doing is whining."

* * *

 **\+ 1 Charisma**

* * *

 _Hold up, what?_ Zeke's smile faded slightly as the notification flashed into view, but the young man didn't have time to appreciate it as M'gann seemed to perk up, openly giggling at his imitation. After a moment, she glanced down at his hand, a bemused expression making her way across her face before she glanced back up. "If you want, there's another way I can help you get used to the feeling of meditating properly."

"Really?" Zeke leaned forward, eyes widening in relief. "How?"

Miss Martian bit her lip before continuing, looking Zeke directly in the eye. "On Mars, there are a few of us who can't really access their telepathy naturally. Another Martian has to give them a…" Her lips pursed, before she brightened as she seemed to find the words. "Think of it like a mental push!"

"A mental push?" Zeke repeated her words, nodding his head slowly. _She's gonna go inside my head? What if she sees that I'm lying? Of course she's gonna. She's a Martian. They're more BS than Kryptonians almost. Don't freak out. Just stay calm and ask some questions._ Still nodding his head, Zeke glanced at M'gann and asked, "So, you're gonna go inside my head or s-"

"No!" Miss Martian interjected, shock clear in her expression. "Never! At least… not if you didn't want me to. Unwanted intrusions are considered… taboo on Mars."

"Oh," Zeke let out a single one-note laugh, his worries fading away. "Well, that's okay, I guess. So, how would this work, then?"

M'gann reached out for both of his hands, palming them in hers. "Just relax and I'll give you a push."

Zeke tilted his head to the side. "Okay, how is the push supposed to w-" He cut himself off as his eyes suddenly closed, his entire body seeming to jerk as he took in a deep breath. Aware of nothing more than his own breathing and heartbeat, he felt the latter still, slowing down just enough for him to notice.

After a moment, he felt something else.

Zeke wasn't sure what it was but he could feel it. Something like a fire inside him, a fire and _something else_ , something much harder to describe. Just like his heartbeat and his breathing, he knew they were part of him, had always been part of him. He just hadn't realized it before.

The boy took in another breath, a deep one, as the fire seemed to spread across his body, making his extremities tingle as he felt them coming alive. _Gold._ That's all he could think. For some reason, this energy felt like the strongest yellow he could imagine, the image sticking in his mind as nothing but a bright golden light.

He exhaled, letting the breath go and the gold vanished, leaving him feeling empty. Tired, almost. That feeling didn't last long as with the exhale, he felt an unending sense of _blue_ rush through him _._ Blue streams of light flowed through his body like a stream, pulsing outwards from several points on his body. Unlike the fire, it felt calming and refreshing, like water on a hot day.

A moment later, the blue waned and was replaced by the powerful gold fire again, his body filling with warmth as he felt it surge through him. Far more energetic than the blue light, the gold seemed to make him want to move, to jump, to do _something_ other than just sit here.

Zeke let out another breath and, just like that, the feeling was gone. Replaced by the blue again, he took a moment to focus on the sensation of this light, gasping slightly as he felt it empowering his body with a sense of lightness and calm.

He breathed in once more, the action seeming to light the gold fire in his mind's eye like a bellows as his chest expanded with life-giving air. At the same moment, the blue pool withdrew, receding back as his body filled with energetic warmth.

He doubted there was a proper description for what he was doing, what he wasexperiencing _._ He could almost feel it thrumming inside him as he breathed, a second and third heartbeat pounding through his ears one after another, each one filling the space left by the other until he heard nothing but _himself_.

Whatever 'Mana' or 'Will' actually was, Zeke realized, was more than just some nebulous energy. _No_ , he thought aloud, letting out another deep breath as the cool, blue energy pulsed through him again. _This… This is part of me._

Eyes still closed, Zeke couldn't help the peaceful smile that grew across his face, the sensation of his own soul like the most comfortable blanket as it filled his body.

 **Ability Learned: Mana Awareness**

 **Ability Learned: Willpower Awareness**

 **Meditation: Lvl Up!  
2→3**

 **INT + 2**

 **WIS + 1**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

Superboy walked through the wide gym door as it slid open for him, his face set in its usual stoic frown. As he took his first few steps across the threshold, he paused mid-step as something caught his attention, a puzzled expression marring his frown.

Both Miss Martian and the small boy… _Zeke?_ Superboy raised an eyebrow, unsure if that was how the boy had actually introduced himself. _It had a Z in it, right?_

Whatever his name was, Miss Martian and the small boy sat on the floor across from each other, eyes closed with their hands clasped together. This wouldn't have been all that interesting if it wasn't for the fact that the small boy was _glowing_. A blue aura surrounded him appearing and vanishing from the boy in the span of a second before being replaced by a fiery golden glow, leaving the boy's entire body pulsing like a strobe light as they replaced each other over and over. The blue seemed to trail away, floating off of his body like a mist only to vanish while the gold held tight to the boy's skin for the short time it appeared.

Superboy blinked at the sight as his frown grew slightly more pronounced, unsure exactly what to make of this.

Quickly coming to the realization that he didn't really care, the clone turned on his heels and left the two of them to their own devices.

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **Awareness: Mana Lvl Up!  
1→4**

 **Awareness: Willpower** **Lvl Up!  
1→3**

 **Breathing Control: Lvl Up!  
5→6**

 **Meditation: Lvl Up!  
3→5**

 **Awareness: Mana Lv 4**  
 _Mana, magic energy, magicka, prana, ether, thaum, spiritual energy, magatsuhi or even chakra… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end._  
You have gained awareness of Mana, the spiritual energy found within the human mind and soul. Gaining awareness of your magical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.

 **Awareness: **Willpower** Lv 3**  
 _Willpower, ki, chi, qi, stamina, aura, mantra, physical energy, life energy, od, or even hamon… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end._  
You have gained awareness of your Willpower, the physical energy found within all living organisms. Gaining awareness of your physical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

* * *

 **Here's the newest chapter.**

 **Zeke's trying to boost his own powers and realizing how outclassed he is as a member of this new Team. He still hasn't realized that just because this universe seems similar to what he knows in the comics, there's plenty that is different.**

 **Hope you all enjoyed it.**


	10. Genesis 1-10

**Hey, everyone. This is just a little note prior to the chapter.**

 **I've gotten into a bit of trouble at home and I've been pretty stressed and it's been hurting my interest in writing in general.**

 **As I've mentioned before, my mom got into a serious car accident and I've had to pick up the slack, essentially taking care of her and handling all her paperwork and doing the tasks that you would expect the owner of a brand-new nursing agency would do. Since she hasn't really been able to work, money's kinda been tight and I just lost my job on Friday.**

 **The rental car that my mom just got on Tuesday was stolen today. She didn't get insurance on it so she has to pay the value of the car, which puts my family further in a hole. As for me, I'm currently overdrafted at my bank after paying for my tuition with the last of my checking account as well as taking care of other bills around the house.**

 **If anyone can help out by joining my P(A)TREON , I'd seriously appreciate it. The link is at ( w w w ). p(a)treon dotcom** **/ zfighter18**

* * *

 ** _I'd like to thank all those who pledged to me on_ P treon.**

 ** _Jack, Cedron Spaulding, Chris, zdront, Door, Jonathan, Carl Mahon, NexusClown and Sartek._**

 ** _Seriously, I appreciate you guys for your help and I want to make sure you know that._**

* * *

 **sdk:** _Well, here it is. It's long as hell, though._

 **IamOminous:** _Thank you. I do love characters slowly growing, especially know when they will get a lot better by the end._

 **Zentari2238:** _I'm sorry that you feel that way. This story isn't intended to be that way. Also, forced railroading? What did Batman actually do here that was illegal? He asked Zeke som questions with Captain Atom there._

 **MM:** _Thank you for your review. I appreciate it and thank you. Superboy has always been one of my favorite characters and YJ Superboy, though different, is fun as well._

 **Genesis 1.10**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **MOUNT JUSTICE  
July 18, 11:16 EDT  
**

"Ezekiel, correct?"

"Um, yeah," Zeke replied, unsure of what else to say as he stared up at the sidekick. "You know me?"

"I know of you, yes." Aqualad nodded. "My King made me aware that would be receiving a new addition to the team."

"Oh," Zeke let out a slight laugh. "Well, nice to meet you, I guess. You can call me Zeke, though."

"Very well. My name is Kaldur'ahm. You may call me Kaldur, if you wish."

"Okay, Kaldur it is."

The dark-skinned Atlantean gave the shorter teen a slight smile, right before turning his gaze away as he refocused his attention on the holoscreen in front of them. Zeke, on the other hand, couldn't keep his eyes off of Kaldur.

It had been awkward enough walking out into the center of the cave just a few minutes ago and seeing the guy standing there, his back turned to him. The next awkward bit had been the conversation between him, Zeke doing his best not to come off as weird in front of the rather intimidating teenager.

He was pretty sure he accomplished that last bit, though.

Either way, it was one thing seeing footage of the sidekick online, the thirteen year old realized, and an entirely different thing to meet him in person. Frankly, it was just weird enough seeing him in the flesh, given that when he heard the name Aqualad, Zeke had originally expected someone more…

Well, he didn't want to say _white,_ but basically… _yeah._

Regardless, Aqualad didn't exactly fit with what he knew, skin color or otherwise. Using Observe on him didn't even give him any added information either, once more filling the box with nothing but a name, title and question marks.

* * *

 **Kaldur'ahm (Aqualad) Lv ?** **?** **  
**Protege: Atlantean Royal Warrior

 **?** **? ?**

 **? ? ?**

 **? ? ?**

* * *

Like, come on, that just wasn't helpful.

Other than the fact that Observe just seemed to give him an error message, there were other things that puzzled Zeke about the sidekick. Hell, just looking at the Atlantean for any long stretch of time raised a great deal of questions inside his mind, one question in particular that wouldn't leave him alone. Really, Zeke's confusion had very little to do with the gills on the side of his neck or the webbed fingers or even how his powers worked.

Instead, it was something else.

Something much more important to Zeke right now, above all else.

 _Just ask him already._

Letting out a low breath, the young teen decided to go for broke. "So, do you dye your hair or…" Zeke let the question trail away as Kaldur turned his gaze back to him, green eyes narrowing slightly. "Y'know, that's a dumb question, sorry. Just… like, how exactly does that work underwater?"

"...I do not color my hair."

 _Really?_ The kid frowned, his face screwed up in obvious confusion. " _Really?_ "

"Yes."

"Oh." Zeke nodded slowly, still unsure if he was hearing him correctly. "So, then that whole situation…" he gestured up at his own head, "that's natural, then?"

Aqualad raised an eyebrow at him, nodding back at Zeke just as slowly.

The young man clicked his tongue, turning away from Aqualad's piercing green eyes. "Ah, that's… that's cool." _Shouldn't have said anything._

"Hello, Kaldur! Hello, Zeke!" Zeke glanced up at the sound of Miss Martian's perky voice, internally thankful for a distraction after the gaffe he just made.

Quickly spotting the green girl as she floated over, Superboy right behind her, Zeke raised his hand and waved. "Hey, M'gann!"

The pretty Martian gave him a beatific smile as she touched down softly right behind Kaldur, the blond Atlantean turning slightly to give her a smile and his own greeting. "Hello to you too, M'gann." Turning his head slightly, he nodded towards the taciturn clone just now reaching the holographic computer at the center of the room. "And to you as well, Superboy."

"Hey, Superboy," Zeke offered as he gave the clone a bright smile, forcing as much cheer into the facial expression as possible. Even though he wasn't really expecting to receive one in return, it didn't hurt to try. His expectations turned out to be mostly accurate, Superboy offering him a grunt in response while giving Kaldur a nod of acknowledgement right after.

Zeke's wide-eyed expression narrowed, his smile fading to a blank line as Superboy turned away from him. _Oh, wow, a grunt. Our relationship has never been stronger._ Truth be told, despite his annoyance at Superboy continuing to ignore him for the most part, the young teen couldn't help but feel a little better at that bit of acknowledgement from the clone.

"Anyway, M'g-" Whatever he was going to say went forgotten as the holoscreen reared to life in front of the group of four, the hovering image displaying what looked like a computer graphic of the eastern seaboard. _The Zeta tube?_

Zeke whipped his head around towards the futuristic teleporter and turned back to Kaldur and the other two, his teammates glancing towards the Zeta tube expectantly. "Wait, who else is showin-"

" _Recognized: Robin; B-0-1, Kid Flash; B-0-3_

"...up?"

Both boys appeared in a flash of light from the Zeta Tube, walking out in their civilian clothes.

Zeke tilted his head as he caught sight of the two of them, surprised at how normal both of them looked compared to the three figures standing around him. _Wow, they look… boring._

He wasn't sure what he was expecting but from the pictures he had seen of them in costume, the two had seemed impressive, heroic even. Outside of those outfits, though, neither of them seemed all that spectacular compared to Superboy's stacked physique, Aqualad's visible Atlantean traits and Miss Martian's… Christmas-themed color scheme.

Tilting his head to the side, Zeke decided to try something out, still only half-sure it would work.

 _Worth a shot,_ he thought with a shrug. "Observe. Observe."

* * *

 **? ? ? (Robin) Lv ? ?  
** Protege: Crimefighter

 **?** **? ?**

 **?** **? ?**

 **?** **? ?**

* * *

 **? ? ? (Kid Flash) Lv ? ?  
** Protege: Speedster

 **?** **? ?**

 **?** **? ?**

 **?** **? ?**

* * *

 _That's three strikes. Man, this skill sucks._

* * *

 **Observe Lvl Up!  
8→9**

* * *

Zeke gave the notification the stink-eye. _Oh, shut up._

Bright smiles on both their faces, the new arrivals ran towards the raised circular platform where the four of them stood. Despite Kid Flash's supposed speed, Robin was the first to reach them, stepping up onto the platform with a sentence already on his lips. "Did you ask him?"

"No, not yet." Aqualad turned to face Robin with a slight smile on his face. "He should be arriving any moment."

Kid Flash jumped up onto the platform in an unnecessary move, considering how short the steps were, and shot them a grin. "So, what did Tornado s-" The speedster paused midway through his sentence, turning his head towards Zeke as he raised an eyebrow.

"One sec," He lifted a finger, pointing at Zeke while the boy in question blinked back. "Who's the new guy?"

"This is Ezekiel." Aqualad announced, cutting Zeke off before the thirteen-year-old could introduce himself. The Atlantean's hand clasped onto his shoulder immediately after, Zeke's eyes widening as he was guided forward to face the late-comers. "He is Captain Atom's protege and the newest member of this team."

"Hi." The young teen raised a hand up, giving a slight wave in addition to the greeting.

Robin returned the greeting with a wave of his own and a nod, cracking a smile as he looked Zeke up and down. "Nice jumpsuit."

Zeke broke out into a slight smile of his own at the comment, as he stared back at the slightly taller teen. "Thanks. It's all I had to wear for a w-"

"Oh, come on!"

Whatever Zeke would have said next was drowned out by Kid Flash's sudden outburst, the redhead letting out a groan tinged with several flavors of annoyance. "I can't believe this. We're getting another guy on the team and Speedy _still_ won't join up?" he groused, sticking his hands in his pockets with a huff. "Man, this sucks."

Zeke's smile turned down into a slight frown as he turned to stare at the whiny ginger. _Wow, thanks for that._

"It is surprising that you are unaware," Aqualad spoke again, his arms folded across his chest as he sent Kid Flash a measured look. "I expected that Flash and Batman would have briefed the two of you about him."

"Pfft! As if." Kid Flash turned to Robin, a question on his lips. "Rob, did Batman tell you about this?" He gestured vaguely in Zeke's direction, the 'this' in question still wearing an unamused expression.

"Yeah, I knew," Robin replied with a smirk as he glanced over at Zeke, eyes hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses. While Zeke could guess which Robin this was, as he was apparently the first, the kid couldn't exactly be sure considering that there were a lot of differences in this world compared to the comics or any shows he could remember. "He wanted to keep me up to date on who we were working with."

"Man, Flash never tells me anything," scoffed Wally. Shaking his head, the speedster raised his hand in a lackluster wave towards Zeke. "Hey, I guess."

The thirteen-year-old took a single step forward as he shot Kid Flash a grin that he didn't really mean. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, same," Kid Flash replied dully, enthusiasm clearly lacking from his words. He opened his mouth to add something onto his lackluster introduction when he suddenly let out a gasp, Robin mimicking his reaction almost at the same time as they both took a step forward.

"Red Tornado!" Kid Flash and Robin called out in unison.

"Wha-" Zeke let out a flinch at the sudden shout, stepping back hurriedly as all the sidekicks rushed past him, Miss Martian's floating form nearly brushing the top of his head as she floated past. He turned his head to the side in the direction the Team had rushed towards, realization dawning on him as he spotted Red Tornado's scarlet chassis make his way down the entrance into the mission room.

Zeke actually hadn't had the pleasure of actually meeting Red Tornado yet, the android being mostly absent for the period of time Zeke had spent in the cave. That wasn't to say that he hadn't seen the aerokinetic robot before.

He _had_ , just from a distance.

Now, though, Zeke didn't feel at all up to actually meeting him, for several reasons.

"He's like right there. What's the problem with waiting like five seconds?" Rolling his eyes, Zeke followed behind the running members of his team, speeding up just enough to meet M'gann just as she landed behind all of the other boys.

"Greetings," Red Tornado began as the entirety of the team came to a stop in front of him, impeding him from entering the cavern proper. "Is there a reason you all chose to intercept my entrance to the cave?"

"We hoped you had a mission for us," Aqualad announced, his deep voice making the statement sounding far more like a demand than he probably expected.

"Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibility," Red Tornado intoned back. "I have no intention of superseding his authority on that issue."

"But it's been over a week and nothing-" Robin began pleadingly, only for the android to firmly interject.

"You'll be tested soon enough. For the time being, simply enjoy each other's company."

"This team is not a social club," Aqualad retorted, actually taking another step forward.

 _Huh, he sounds pissed, doesn't he?_ Zeke blinked at his tone, the slight edge to Kaldur's voice the closest thing he had heard to actual emotion from him since he showed up at the base not too long ago.

"No, but I am told social interaction Is an important team-building exercise," Red Tornado replied in his usual monotone. The superpowered android stepped forward, walking past Kaldur and Superboy as he continued speaking. "Perhaps you can keep busy by familiarizing yourself with the cave."

The six of them turned and watched, all of them in various stages of annoyance, as Red Tornado made his way further into the cave, entering the Zeta tube in a flash of bright light.

Recognize: Red Tornado; 1-6

"Keep busy?" Kid Flash growled, elbowing Robin in the arm as he stepped forward slightly. "What does he think we are?"

"I know, right?" Robin added, a scowl on his face. "He's treating us like we're kindergarteners or something."

"Regardless," Aqualad turned around to face his gathered teammates with a thoughtful expression on his face, his arms crossed. "Red Tornado does have a point."

"No way." Kid Flash folded his arms across his chest to match Kaldur, still glaring at the hallway Red Tornado had disappeared into. "He literally just told us to go keep ourselves busy."

Kaldur held his expression, even as he nodded to acknowledge the redhead. "While his words may have seemed somewhat condescending, I believe it would be in our best interests if we did attempt to follow Red Tornado's advice."

His eyes met each of theirs in succession, his gaze lingering on Zeke as the boy stood off to the side of M'gann. "Exploring the cave and ensuring that we are aware of where everything is located would help us prepare for rapid deployment for missions."

"Actually," Zeke chimed in, eager to put his own two cents in. "I kinda planned on training for a whi-" The words died on his tongue as Kaldur placed a hand on his shoulder again.

The Atlantean put an end to the conversation, slapping away Zeke's attempt at avoidance with a firm statement. "This is a team building exercise. Without the entirety of the team, it would be pointless. We'll all go."

 _Yeah, I kinda need to get back to training, though._ It wasn't that he didn't feel like he was making headway. In fact, after M'gann had helped him meditate, Zeke had been able to sense the energies inside him and was even getting close to actually doing something with them. Thing is, he still couldn't deny that he needed more practice and he wouldn't get that practice if he kept getting distracted by other stuff.

With that in mind, Zeke opened his mouth to protest further only to pause as he realizedhow everyone seemed to take in Kaldur's words in stride, Superboy giving a terse nod and M'gann smiling brightly while Robin and Kid Flash just gave equally lazy shrugs. All at once, the entire group of teens followed behind Aqualad as he turned around and began to walk.

Shrugging, Zeke followed as well, falling in line next to Superboy. Glancing over at Kaldur's back, he let out a slight sigh. _Well, at least I know who the boss is now._

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

Several minutes later, Zeke found himself walking in pace with his team down yet another identically drab hallway, desperately trying his best not to die of boredom. Despite Kaldur's words, this 'team building exercise' seemed just as bad as he had expected, going straight from pointless to mind-numbingly dull.

Granted, it wasn't the fault of the tour giver. Zeke didn't have anything against M'gann or her personality but there were only so many times you could hear the phrase 'and here's another empty room' before you felt like bashing your head up against the wall till something gave way.

 _I could be meditating or something else right now but no… I'm stuck in a tour of Mount Boring._ For a superhero headquarters, the cave really wasn't that exciting considering that the majority of space was taken up by tons of empty rooms, a few gyms, and lots and lots of stairs.

 _Man, even S.T.A.R. Labs was cooler than this place,_ he thought to himself as he recalled the massive hologram-based training area they had set up for more 'experienced metahuman participants.' _In other words, you must be this tall to use the Danger Room knockoff._

Letting out a sigh, Zeke shook his head, deciding to focus on something else other than what he _could_ be doing. Meditation was obviously a bust, seeing as how it was impossible to walk and meditate at the same time. _At least… I_ _ **think**_ _it is._ Zeke frowned, raising a hand to his chin. _Hmm. Question for later._

Regardless, Zeke was well aware that he couldn't meditate or do most other forms of training at the moment. However, there was something else he had gained from the session with M'gann, at least other than learning how to meditate properly. _Okay, let's do this._

Zeke dropped his hands down to his sides, letting out a breath as he did so. Without slowing down his stride, the teen began to focus. His mind relaxed, slowly beginning to calm as he mentally prodded at something he could almost feel inside him, one of the sources of energy he had been training up for the past two days.

With a sudden mental command, Zeke _grasped_ hold of the blue light inside him as it pulsed inside his chest. All at once, he was hit by a wave of what could only be described as muscle-relaxing calm, the feeling spreading throughout his entire body and nearly forcing him to stumble.

Catching himself, Zeke glanced around to see if any of his teammates had noticed that. Thankfully, they hadn't, each focused on the tourgiver but for drastically different reasons. Robin and Kid Flash seemed to be vying for the front position as M'gann floated in front of the group, each one trying to drop tidbits of what they knew about the mountain to impress the green girl. Aqualad and Superboy, on the other hand, were the pictures of stoicism with Kaldur's calm expression differing greatly from the clone's expression perpetually set in a thin line of displeasure.

Satisfied that he hadn't disturbed the rest of the team, Zeke returned his focus back to what he had been doing. The blue light began to stream through his entire body, the image like water trickling down a small stream in his mind's eye. As he had done before, Zeke began to cycle it around his body, simply to get a better feel for the control of this energy.

The golden light seemed to shrink away as he did so, retreating into the center of his chest as nothing more than a perfect golden sphere as the blue continued to circulate. Maintaining his concentration, Zeke turned his ear back to M'gann's tour for a moment.

"And here's the shower room!" M'gann announced with arms spread out. "I don't really know why there's only one big one, but I'm sure we'll figure it out!"

Kid Flash's mouth rose into a smirk, the redhead opening his mouth to say something only to be stopped by Robin jabbing him in the stomach. "Ow! What was that for?"

Zeke rolled his eyes yet again, shaking his head. _Yeah, I'd take an awkward silence with Superboy any day over this._

As if reading his thoughts, the clone in question tilted his head slightly to glance down at the much shorter individual walking next to him.

 _Speak of the devil._

Zeke blinked back at Superboy, unsure of what he had done to catch his attention. _Seriously, what did I do now? I get it already. You don't like me._ Despite his less than pleasant thoughts, Zeke offered Superboy a smile, even as he tried to parse the odd look on the older boy's face.

For one thing, the clone didn't really seem angry. At least, not as much as he usually did. The expression on his face was far from the scowl that Superboy usually had for him, appearing more like a befuddled grimace that continued to look more befuddled the longer he continued to stare, his gaze constantly moving up and down Zeke's form.

Thankfully, Superboy turned his attention away from him as the green girl led them out towards the back exit of the hideout, allowing Zeke to let out a relieved breath. _That was just weird._

"And this is the back of Mount Justice" Miss Martian continued as they all walked out behind her. "If you haven't already guessed, the cave is actually the entire mountain."

"Flash Fact," Wally cut in with a grin as he shoved Robin to the side again. "The cave was actually hollowed out and reinforced by Superman and Green Lantern in the early days of the League."

Robin stared back at him with a raised eyebrow. "Flash Fact? Seriously?"

Before Wally could respond with his own comeback, Superboy spoke up. "If it's such a good base, why abandon it for the Hall of Justice."

"That," Aqualad begun, staring at Superboy and Kid Flash in turn, "can be be blamed on the fact that the secrecy of the cave's location was… compromised."

Zeke frowned. "What? Compromised? Villains know where this place is?"

His question went unanswered as Superboy spoke up next, scoffing. "So, they traded it in for a tourist trap. As if that's any better."

Miss Martian let out a slight gasp, clapping her hands together in front of her. "If bad guys know where the cave is, then we have to be on constant alert!"

"Don't worry, M'gann. The bad guys know we know they know about the place," Robin assured her. The young crimefighter grabbed her hand and turned the green girl her to face him, putting his other hand on top of hers. "They'd never think to look here."

"I'm sorry, _what_?" Zeke blinked, starting at that explanation. _He can't be serious right now. He really can't be serious._

His eyes widened further, Zeke having to bite his tongue to prevent himself from cursing as he realized something extremely annoying. As shocked as he was by Robin's and Aqualad's statements, he had ended up losing focus, the blue light leaving his control again. _Oh, come on!_

* * *

 **Awareness: Mana Lvl Up!  
7→8**

* * *

 _Well, at least I got something out of it._

Robin didn't turn to look at him, still smiling at M'gann with her hand in his but Kid Flash quickly got his attention.

"Uh," Kid Flash interrupted, quickly pulling Robin's hand from Miss Martian's as he moved in front of the green girl, "what Rob means to say is that we're hiding in plain sight."

"Oh, okay. That's much clearer," Miss Martian replied as she scratched her head, the expression on her face giving the exact opposite impression.

"No, it's not," Zeke cut in, shaking his head rapidly as he stepped forward. "That is the farthest thing from clear. You're saying that we're in a place which villains know exist and can plant bombs, listening devices or anything else and that's supposed to be safe? Like," the kid paused to rub his forehead, "does this place have force fields or defense systems at all?"

Robin and Kid Flash shared a look and shrugged before Robin answered, "I don't _think_ so but…"

"So, it's not safe, then," Superboy concluded, jumping on Zeke's point. "The League put us somewhere dangerous and we're just supposed to be okay with that."

"Umm," Miss Martian raised a finger to her mouth, her expression thoughtful. "I think I have to agree with Zeke and Superboy. That doesn't seem very safe."

The three permanent residents of the cave stared back at the other, more experienced, members of the team with questioning glances. Kid Flash and Robin actually seemed unsure, the speedster screwing his face up in thought. The Atlantean, on the other hand, seemed as composed as ever.

"Friends," Aqualad began, his tone signalling an end to the conversation, "we must trust that our mentors would not put us in the path of undue danger. The Justice League felt that Mount Justice would be suitable for us. Let us not begrudge them for their generosity."

"Okay, I guess but..." Zeke shook his head slowly, arms folded over his chest. "I just _really_ don't want to get caught on the toilet by a supervillain."

Before Aqualad could respond, Superboy lifted his head up, his nostrils flaring slightly as he spoke. "Something's burning."

Miss Martian's hands flew to her mouth, red eyes widening as she let out a startled gasp. "My cookies!" Spinning in mid-air, Miss Martian took off back into the cave, quickly shooting into a hallway before any of the boys even started moving.

 _No!_ Zeke's eyes widened and he took off after her, only to be quickly overtaken by Kid Flash, the boy naturally quicker than he was and just as motivated. Speeding into the kitchen with Robin directly at his back, Zeke let out an exasperated groan as he spotted M'gann standing by the kitchen counter, a tray full of what looked like smoking hockey pucks in front of her.

"Not the cookies!" Zeke hung his head, letting out a choked sob at the thought of M'gann's cookies being wasted. "They were so young and so… so delicious."

M'gann let out an awkward chuckle, rubbing one arm with the other as she turned her back to the tray to face the boys. "Sorry, Zeke. I know you wanted to try out some sugar cookies. I'll make you some new ones if you like."

Zeke sighed, lifting his gaze to meet M'gann's. Shaking his head, he gave the older girl a slight smile. "Don't worry about it, M'gann. I wasn't that hungry anyway." _Why am I lying? All I had was cereal this morning and I'm tired of those stupid bars._

"At least they're not going to waste," Robin chimed in, the dark-haired boy wearing a wide grin on his face as he sat atop a counter at the far side of the kitchen.

"Huh?" Miss Martian frowned at that statement, a look of confusion on her face that was matched by the ones on Zeke, Aqualad and Superboy.

Robin let out a small laugh, pointing over at M'gann. "Behind you."

The four blinked, shared expressions of confusion switching to surprise as M'gann turned around and stepped away from the counter where Wally now stood, the speedster stuffing his face full of charred cookies.

Cookie in hand, the redhead smiled awkwardly under the combined gazes of his team. "I have a serious metabolism."

 _Yeah, this is definitely Wally West, then,_ Zeke remarked to himself, confident that his memory of what the comics were like wasn't too far off. If he knew anything about Wally West other than the fact that the guy was the second Flash, it was that the guy had a huge eating problem. _Which really doesn't make sense now that I think about it. Considering that there's no way he could eat enough to power his speed, then why…_

Zeke shook his head, pulling himself out of _that_ particular rabbit hole as his team began talking again, Kaldur introducing himself again for some reason. _Trying to put reason to the speedforce is pointless._ Glancing over at Kid Flash as he stepped up, Zeke noticed that the redhead was dusting the crumbs off of himself, managing to wink at M'gann while he did so.

"The name's West. Wally West." Kid Flash said, leaning on the kitchen island in an attempt to seem suave.

 _Heh. I was right._

"See, M'gann? I already trust you with my secret identity, not like Mr. Dark Glasses over here." Robin frowned, shooting a glare at Wally that was undoubtedly less effective considering how dark his sunglasses were. "Batman's forbidden the Boy Wonder from telling anyone his _real_ name."

"Mine's no secret." Miss Martian admitted with a bright smile. "It's M'gann M'orzz. But you can just call me Megan, though. It's an Earth name since I'm on Earth now," she finished, seeming to burst with excitement as she spoke the last sentence.

Zeke shrugged, unsure if they expected him to introduce himself again. "You guys already know my name so, I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to say."

"What about your code name?" Robin asked, tilting his head to the side. "What you're gonna use in the field or whatever." After a moment of silence on Zeke's part, the Boy Wonder raised an eyebrow. "You do have one, right?"

"What? Of c-course!" Zeke let out a scoff, waving off Robin's question. "Why wouldn't I have… Yeah, of _course_ I have one of those." _I have like a whole list, actually. I just haven't really settled on one of them yet._

"Mind sharing any time today?" Kid Flash spoke up, cookie in hand again.

"N-no problem," Zeke replied hesitantly. "My name is…" The youth shut one eye in an expression that could only be described as a slow motion wince. " _Genesis?_ "

"Hmm. Genesis," Robin tried the name out, seeming to mull it over as he repeated it a few more times. "That can also mean an origin, a beginning, or a source… huh. Makes sense, I guess."

The rest of the team actually nodded at Robin's words, all of them seeming to approve Zeke's name.

 _That actually worked. Thank you, Sega._ Zeke's gaze went over to Superboy, the clone remaining slouched against the counter, just as silent as ever as he returned his look with a glare. _Seriously, what did I do to you?_

The clone grunted as the team continued to stare at him, obviously expecting Superboy to say something. He turned his back on them, quickly walking away only to halt in place as he let out a pained grunt.

 _Ok, what the hell?_ Zeke blinked, taking an involuntary step back as Superboy let out another angry grunt, his posture tensing as he spun around. One hand gripped tightly against his right temple, fingers seeming to dig into his skull as he stared over at his teammates with shock and fear clear on his face.

" **Get out of my head!** _"_

 _I am_ _ **not**_ _dying today!_ Zeke jumped, quickly stepping back behind the counter while Wally, Kaldur and Robin seemed to freeze up at Superboy's scream of rage. All of the boys turned at once, facing M'gann with questioning expressions, Zeke's visibly more fearful than theirs.

 _[What's wrong? I don't understand.]_ Zeke blinked in slight surprise as the sound of M'gann's voice filled his head, staring in confusion as the other boys seemed to flinch and groan for some reason, open grimaces on their face as they grabbed at their heads. _[Everyone on Mars communicates telepathically.]_

"M'gann. _Stop_." Kaldur commanded, that same edge in his voice once more. A hurt expression filled the Martian girl's face, but she seemed to ease up whatever she was doing as both Robin and Wally relaxed once more. "Things are different on Earth. Here, your powers are an extreme invasion of privacy."

 _What's everybody's problem?_ Zeke raised an eyebrow as he stared at everybody, his head moving back and forth. M'gann seemed to do the same, although her expression was nea _It's not that serious._

"I-I didn't mean to-" M'gann began.

Superboy growled, cutting the girl off mid-apology. Staring her down, he narrowed his eyes and spoke through gritted teeth. "Just. Stay. Out." With that said, Superboy stalked off into the next room.

 _Huh, looks like I can add telepathy to the list of things Superboy doesn't like, right next to me and his own name._ Zeke raised his eyebrows in a thoughtful expression. "That went well."

The others turned to stare at him, obviously confused.

"Is that what you call that?" Robin replied.

"I mean, _I'd_ call that going well," Zeke clarified. As the confused glances continued, the shortest member of the team let out a sigh. "Look, the first day I met Superboy, I was pretty sure he was about to kill me."

"Ditto." Both Robin and Kid Flash chimed in at the same time.

Aqualad let out a slight breath. "I can also say the same."

"Look at us," Zeke smiled at the other three boys. "Already bonding."

"That's it!" M'gann gasped as Zeke finished speaking, prompting the boys to turn to her. "Hello, Megan!" she continued, batting her forehead with the heel of her palm. "I know what to do!" A smile on her face, she took off flying once more.

Zeke glanced up at Aqualad, giving Robin and Kid Flash questioning looks as well. "So, are we gonna go after her _or…_?"

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

"This is what I wanted to show you guys!" M'gann said proudly, spreading her arms as she stood in front of a red ovoid thing the size of a large car sitting in the middle of the cave's hangar.

"It's an egg." Superboy raised an eyebrow at the object, a frown still on his face. It had taken some prodding on M'gann's part and more than a little pleading, but the clone had rejoined the rest of the group again as they continued their tour.

"It's not an egg, Superboy," giggled Miss Martian. "It's a ship, _my_ Martian Bioship."

"Cute." Wally stepped forward, a hand cupping his chin. "Doesn't look all that aerodynamic, but cute."

Zeke tilted his head to the side as he as he looked over the egg-shaped ship. _Did Martians have ships?_ He frowned, scratching his head as he tried to recall what little he knew of the Martian Manhunter's backstory. _I mean, Miss Martian had to get to Earth somehow, right?_

"Don't be silly, Wally," M'gann replied with a smile. "It's just at rest. See, I'll wake it up." Spinning around, Miss Martian performed a slight flourish with her hands that Zeke was sure had to be entirely unnecessary. Behind her, the egg ship began to shift, metal shifting like liquid as it turned into something that Zeke had to admit looked pretty cool. Curved yet distinctively sharp-looking, it looked like every little boy's dream spaceship as it floated over a meter above the ground without any visible means of propulsion.

 _That's… That's so freaking cool,_ Zeke couldn't help but think aloud, his jaw hanging slightly open. Just to the right of him, he could see that from the similar awed looks on both Robin's and Kid Flash's faces, they agreed completely.

The bioship spun around, performing the moment it finished transforming, a door sliding open at the back as a set of stairs slid out from the ship and M'gann began walking up to it. After taking her first step up the stairs, she glanced around at the boys and smiled. "Well, are you coming or not?"

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

Zeke had to admit that of all the weird things he had experienced since waking up in a filthy alley on top of a dumpster in _Kentucky_ of all places, seeing a female version of himself striking a pose was somehow topping the list. You would think that being inside a spaceship surrounded by people that were supposed to be fictional would be higher, but apparently, you'd be wrong. _This_ was definitely higher.

 _Not number one, though,_ the rookie couldn't help but frown, shaking his head. _Top five_ , _at least._

As M'gann spun around, Zeke ducked his head, fighting to avoid staring at how _snugly_ his sleeveless blue-and-white jumpsuit fit M'gann's gender-swapped version of his body. There were some things man was not meant to see, and this was apparently one of them.

 _I'm gonna need therapy for this._

"What do you think, Zeke?" M'gann asked, doing one more spin. "You didn't say anything."

 _Come on. Don't be rude, you big baby._ Zeke glanced up at Miss Martian and tried not to wince as she flexed her arm, forming a muscle that was far bigger than any he actually had. _And of course, another reason to be embarrassed._ "You look nice, M'gann."

"Mmm," hummed Wally, raising an eyebrow. "I gotta say, out of all of them, I still think Flash Girl was the best one."

"Yeah, I bet you would," Robin snorted, the glasses-wearing teen staring at Miss Martian as she transformed back to her normal green-skinned form. "You know, M'gann, that's impressive but you're not exactly gonna fool anyone."

The Martian girl sat down in her seat, her hands resting against the two orbs she used to direct the ship, and smiled softly at Robin. "I know. It's just that mimicking boys is a lot harder."

"And your clothes?" Aqualad asked.

"Oh, they're organic," M'gann replied with a bright smile, repeatedly tugging on the collar of her jacket as she spoke. "Just like my ship, they respond to my mental commands."

"As long as they're the only ones," Superboy cut in, a stormy expression on his face. M'gann's smile shrunk at Superboy's comment, disappearing almost completely as she sunk into her seat.

 _Wow, burn,_ Zeke thought, fighting the urge to snort at Superboy's comment. After a moment, his eyes widened as a thought came to him. _Oh crap, she's a Martian. Double burn._

"Can you do that ghost thing like Martian Manhunter does?" Wally cut in, obviously trying to change the topic. "That's always cool."

"Density shifting?" M'gann questioned, her face still sunken. "No, that's a very advanced technique. That would take me quite some time to learn…"

Robin leaned forward, a smile on his face as he spoke to M'gann. "You know, Flash can vibrate his molecules right through a wall." Chuckling, the Boy Wonder gestured to Wally. "When he tries it, bloody nose."

"DUDE! Come on." Wally snapped, obviously annoyed at his friend's attempt at lightening M'gann's mood. Shaking his head as Robin continued to laugh at him, the redhead turned towards Zeke with a slight frown still on his face. "So, what's your thing?"

"My thing?" Zeke asked, turning in his seat to face Kid Flash. _What?_

"You know," Kid Flash stretched his arms out in front of him. " _Your thing?_ Your powers, do you do?

"Oh," Zeke pulled a face, unsure of what to say. " _Ugh…_ well, I can make myself stronger and faster if I… uh, when I focus, I guess." He couldn't stop himself from twisting in his seat slightly under Wally's stare, well aware that he wasn't all that useful compared to the rest of them.

"Stronger? Faster?" Robin raised an eyebrow. "By how much?"

" _Marginally._ " Zeke let out a sigh, wincing as he did so. "About thirty-five percent on average."

"Oh," Kid Flash pulled a face before quickly shifting into a smile that Zeke didn't buy for a second. "Well, that's pretty cool."

"Rather specific, though," Aqualad added, the Atlantean glancing over at Zeke as he spoke. "You must admit."

The newest member of the team shrugged, feeling rather awkward over how weak he seemed in comparison. "...I guess."

"He glows too," Superboy interjected, surprising everyone but Zeke most of all.

The boy in question blinked, leaning forward in his seat. "I… _do_?" He stared over at Superboy, confusion and curiosity warring on his face. "When? _How?_ "

A few seconds passed in silence as Superboy didn't seem willing to explain, the clone simply staring back at Zeke with a flat expression. After a moment, Superboy simply turned back in his seat, facing the front of the ship like everyone else.

 _Well, then…_

As Superboy remained silent, Zeke simply shrugged his shoulders and turned back to Kid Flash. "Yeah, I guess I glow too."

As the team processed that little bit of information, a voice began emanating from the speakers, the monotonous sound of the team's robotic babysitter familiar to all. "Red Tornado to Miss Martian. An emergency alert has been triggered at the Happy Harbor Power Plant. I suggest you investigate covertly. I'm sending coordinates."

M'gann raised her head, her hands spreading out across the glowing spheres at the sides of her seat as she responded. "Received. Adjusting course."

Zeke glanced out the window, taking in the scenery as the ship spun around over the ocean and darted toward its new location further inland. "You think it's a bad guy?" He did his best to keep the slight quiver out of his voice, not wanting to come off as a scared kid. _Seriously, please don't let it be a villain._

"As if. This isn't Central City or Gotham or anything." Kid Flash replied, rolling his eyes. "At best, we're looking at a fire or something."

"That much is true," added Aqualad with a nod. "Happy Harbor is not the sort of place to be prone to attacks by villains."

Robin shook his head, his lips turning down into a frown. "Just Tornado keeping us busy again."

"Yeah," Zeke replied half-heartedly. "That's just… _terrible._ What does he think we are?" _Thank you, Red Tornado. You are definitely on my gift list for Christmas._ Satisfied that he wasn't being led into a fight, Zeke let himself relax, continuing to stare out the window.

After they began to approach their destination only a few seconds of continued flight, the thirteen-year-old pulled away from the side window, whipping around in his seat to stare at his teammates, eyes wide with fear. "Tornado!"

" _What?"_

Zeke wasn't actually sure who responded, the voice high-pitched enough that it obviously wasn't Kaldur or Superboy. Then again, fear and surprise did do a lot when it came to messing with the sound of a voice. Either way, whether the exclamation came from Robin, Flash, or more than likely, M'gann, it didn't matter one bit as the only important thing that he could keep in mind was that tornados moved a hell of a lot faster than he thought they did.

The ship shook with a massive force, hurtling through the air as the mother of all tornadoes hit the alien vehicle hard enough to send it flying out of control. Amid the shocked screams of his teammates, Zeke found it in him to scream as well, his own exclamation a bit more eloquent than what everyone else could manage at the moment.

" _You said there wouldn't be any bad guys!_ "

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **Ezekiel Patrick Armstrong**

 **Title:** None

 **Level 1**

 **XP:** 50/250

 **Age:** 13

 **HP:** 110/110* _[340]_

 **MP:** 90/90

 **Will:** 103/103

 **STR:** 18* _[25]_

 **SPD:** 22* _[31]_

 **VIT:** 23*

 **INT:** 18

 **WIS:** 9

 **CHA:** 10

 **Stat Points:** 2

 **Perk Points:** 0

 **Cash:** $375

* * *

 **Traits**

 **Malnourished:** Too little to eat for too long has weakened your body, drained you of vitality and made you more susceptible to bumps and bruises. **(-30% to STR & SPD, Health does not gain VIT bonus, Health/Will recovery is slowed by 50%, and Will-based skills cost twice as much)**

 **Bright Kid:** While you're no genius or some prodigy, you're obviously brighter than most kids. By the time you're an adult, however, no one will care. **(Before the age of 18: +75% to INT gain and +25% to speed of learning Mana-based skills/abilities)**

* * *

 **Perks**

None

* * *

 **Skills**

 **Observe Lv 9**

 _Kinda like a scouter, but less cool somehow._

Allows you to view the status or qualities of anyone or anything, allowing you to learn information about them.

 **Power Sprint Lv 8**

 _You'll never be the Flash relying on this alone. Still, we've all gotta start somewhere._ **  
**While active, your running speed increases by 5% per level. **(40%)  
Cost: **1 Will/s

 **Power Strike Lv 3** _Not exactly a heavy hitter quite yet._

Increases the STR value and knockback of your physical strikes by 10% per level. **(30%)**

 **Cost:** 5 Will

* * *

 **Abilities**

 **Gamer's Body Lv. MAX** _Allows your body to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character._ Sleeping restores HP, MP, Will and removes most negative status effects. Health, Will, and Mana regenerate at a base of 1 point every 30 seconds. Food and drink items can accelerate recovery.

 **Gamer's Mind Lv. MAX** _Allows your mind to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character._ Grants immunity to mental status effects, emotional trauma and severely damaging emotional states. Grants immunity to forceful/unwanted mental intrusion.

 **Awareness: Mana Lv 8**

 _Mana, magic energy, magicka, prana, ether, spirit energy, magatsuhi or even chakra… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end._

You have gained awareness of Mana, the spiritual energy found within the human mind and soul. Gaining awareness of your magical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.

 **Awareness: **Willpower** Lv 5**

 _Willpower, ki, chi, qi, stamina, aura, mantra, physical energy, life energy, od, or even hamon… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end._

You have gained awareness of your Willpower, the physical energy found within all living organisms. Gaining awareness of your physical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.

 **Basic Martial Arts Lv. 3  
** _Heroes prefer fists. Apparently, so do sidekicks.  
_ This ability measures your skill and intuition in bare-handed combat, allowing for rapid growth and adaptation in martial arts.

 **Breathing Control Lv. 7  
** _Batman can breathe in space. Why can't you?_ The ability to use oxygen efficiently, enabling you to hold your breath for extended periods of time. Increases by 1 minute every level. **(7 minutes)**

 **Meditation Lv. 6  
** _When the mind is enlightened, the spirit is freed and the body matters not.  
_ The ability to train your mind in order to achieve a state of oneness with your spiritual essence and life force, as well your mind and body.


	11. Genesis 1-10b

_**I'd like to thank all those who pledged to me on .**_

 _ **Jack, Alec, Binary Giant, e-addict, Erik Mickiewicz, James Carl Henderson, Liam O' Neil, Mathieu Martineau, Sackthanaban Kounlavong, Cedron Spaulding, Silver W. King, TM, Chris, zdront, Door, Jonathan, Carl Mahon, NexusClown, Brandon Dayne Baugh, AntaeusTheGiant and Sartek. And of course, I can't go without mentioning Segev, who does a great job of Beta as well.**_

 _ **Thanks to my other Betas. Kenmadragon, Dasstan, MrWizard, and the Fanciest of Molasses. Seriously, I appreciate all of you guys for your help and I want to make sure you know that.**_

* * *

 **Cashagon:** _Thank you. That realyl means a lot. I put a lot of effort into making sure my characters have flaws and seem real._

 **draconianking:** _Here you go. Nearly 9k words of chapter alone._

 **Nipplegunz:** _Thank you for your well-wishes. I'm just taking things one day at a time and trying to manage what I have to do._

 **a guy1013:** _Yeah, you see. Writing an entire chapter as one episode is not as easy as you would think. With a visual medium like television, you can convey a lot more than you can with text so text has to be a lot more descriptive to hold your attention. I'd love to write a full episode as a chapter but that's a lot to ask._

 **Akashic Records:** _Thank you. And I love your nicknames, btw._

 **AndreyKI:** _Thing is, he didn't forget about his inventory. He just doesn't deem it as important or cool like super strength, flight or super speed. It's just something he uses like a backpack._

 **Yabas:** _Thank you._

* * *

 **Genesis 1.10b**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **-14**

* * *

 **Ability Gained!**

 **Resistance: Blunt Force Lv 2** _A little pain never hurt anyone._

Reduce all blunt force damage from attacks less than 100% of your health. Increases 1% by level. **(2%)**

* * *

"...Ow."

The thirteen-year old lifted his head from his chest and shook it, blinking rapidly as he did so. After blinking the dark spots from his eyes, Zeke opened his mouth to say something. Instead of speaking, he paused and winced, letting out a slight grunt of pain from the back of his throat.

Raising a hand to his mouth, the teen coughed violently into his open palm, the hacking seeming to add a certain depth pain he was already feeling all over. After a second or two, his coughing fit let up, allowing Zeke to open his eyes and blink again. "... _Ow._ So much _ow._ "

"Anybody get the number of that truck?"

Zeke raised his head higher as Wally spoke up, the rest of his team making various groaning noises as they all began to reorient themselves after their sudden and unexpected and landing, some of them already beginning to get up out out their seats.

Kid Flash let out another groan, one hand on his forehead as he unbuckled himself. The redhead seemed to tremble slightly as he got to his feet, his upper body wobbling for a few seconds as he regained his balance.

"It was a tornado," Superboy answered back, the clone already out of his seat along with Kaldur, M'gann and Robin. "Not a truck."

"Thanks, Superboy," Wally replied with a wince, rubbing his shoulder as he stood up. " _Super_ helpful."

Zeke shook his own head again, no real purpose behind the action other than to get himself back into working order, and got out of his seat as quickly as he could. He stood up without ceremony, no dizziness or uncomfort past some general aches making him unsure of his steps like Wally had been, and joined everyone else as they positioned themselves around M'gann.

The green girl laid her hands on the glowing orbs by the sides of her seat, a hole opening up on the side of the ship as the spheres pulsed with light. Eager as ever, Wally rushed out first, quickly followed by Superboy, the rest of the team following behind them.

Zeke shook his head as he ran out behind M'gann, deeply regretting this course of action with with every step he took. _I'm not ready for a bad guy fight. I'm not ready for a bad guy fight._ His inner complaints kicked into high gear as he left the ship, eyes widening at the sight of a tall whirlwind tearing its way through the parking lot of the power plant.

Screaming people tore out of the power plant's front door in a frightened rush, their cries only adding to Zeke's nervousness. _Oh god, oh god, oh god!_

* * *

 **[Paralyzing Fear]** negated by Gamer's Mind.

* * *

Zeke blinked at the notification. _Huh. Again, super convenient._

"So, just to clarify," he began, glancing at Wally, M'gann, Superboy and Aqualad in turn, "what are the chances that we're just looking at some random freak weather?"

"That would be..." Aqualad paused for a moment, two black rectangular objects enclosed in his fists as he scanned the people rushing for their cars to escape the situation, "... rather unlikely."

Zeke nodded, the tiny bit of hope he had left in him dying. "I… I figured." _What are we looking at here, then? Someone who can control wind so… Major Disaster? Typhoon, maybe?_

"Enough talk," Superboy cut in, squaring his shoulders as he cast a glare at the power plant itself. Without a doubt, the clone was gearing for a fight, his body language saying a lot more than his mouth could.

"Yeah!" Wally added, lowering a pair of red goggles over his eyes. "Let's go take care of this Weather Wizard wannabe already!"

 _Weather Wizard…._ Zeke took in a deep breath through his nose. _Yeah, that sounds about right. At least Wally should have experience with the guy._

"Agreed," Kaldur nodded, expression as unreadable as ever. "But first, we must devise a plan of action. Any ideas, Robin?" Aqualad's eyes widened as he quickly turned to the side, seeing so sign of the Boy Wonder. "Robin!"

M'gann did the same, glancing around with a puzzled expression. Zeke glanced over at her, mouth open in confusion as well, not at Robin's disappearance but at the fact that a telepath couldn't find someone. _How did he even vanish in the first place? I should have seen it. He was_ _ **in front**_ _of me._

Still looking somewhat unsettled, the Martian turned to face Aqualad. "I- I don't know. He was just right next to me and then h-"

"He vanished," Wally finished for her, rolling his eyes casually as if he expected something like this. "Yeah, he does it all the time. Boy Wonder's probably already inside."

"Then we have no time to waste," Aqualad concluded, taking a determined step forward. "We must hurry befo-"

Zeke flinched as Aqualad paused, the sound of horror-movie style laughter echoing around them and drawing the entire team's attention.

"Robin!" Aqualad had it in him to shout again, a note of slight worry audible in his voice.

"Wait? How are we hearing that?" Zeke exclaimed, his nervousness mostly forgotten in the face of Robin's _creepy_ laughing fit. "Where is that echo even coming from? _How is he loud enough that we're hearing him?_ "

The thirteen year old glanced around expecting answers, only to see faces just as confused as he was. " _Why is no one answering me right now?_ "

Before anyone could even attempt to do such, the windows to the plant exploded as blasts of wind shot through each of them in turn, several glass panes from the top floor falling to the asphalt below.

"No time for questions!" barked Superboy. With that, the clone took off running, headed straight for the power plant's double doors, the team rushing off behind him - M'gann obviously flying - as their newest member once again lagged behind, staring at the eager heroes.

 _No time for questions but plenty of time for statements, right?_ Gritting his teeth, Zeke ran off to meet them, making sure to stay a good distance behind.

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

Superboy burst into the station with all the subtlety of a solar-powered bull in a china shop, the plant's double doors flying off their hinges as the clone made his grand entrance. "Robin!"

As the team ran in, their eyes widened as the Boy Wonder came hurtling toward them, launched into flight by twin funnels of powerful wind. Without wasting a moment, the Kryptonian caught the boy in a bridal carry, the both of them landing with little more damage than some ruffled clothing.

Without missing a beat, Robin adjusted his sunglasses and said, "You can put me down now."

"Who's your new friend?" Superboy asked with a scowl as he let Robin down, eyes narrowed at the tall, armored figure standing in the center of the plant floor.

"Didn't catch his name," Robin spat, pulling out a disc-shaped items from somewhere as he fully turned to face the target of his ire. "But he plays kinda rough."

The obvious villain stood in front of the team, the long scarf around the neck of his armor trailing in the wind as the air visibly pulsed around him. As he patiently waited for Kid Flash to make his way down to Robin and Superboy, the redhead followed by Aqualad and a hovering Miss Martian. "Whoa," Kid Flash exclaimed, coming to a stop next to Superboy, "who's Big Red over here?

 **"My apologies, children,"** the armored figure began, his computerized voice coming off as oddly elegant as he crossed his large arms over his metal chest, **"it seems I've forgotten my manners. You may address me as Mister Twister."**

"I don't care what your name is!" Superboy leapt into the air with that shout, pulling his fist back as he flew on an arc directly towards the armored bad guy.

Without a word, Twister raised his hands in a measured movement, the pulses of air around his arms intensifying as a tornado formed in front of his palms and shot towards Superboy in the air, the wind sending him flying back into a concrete pillar over a dozen feet of the ground, his back indenting the concrete before he fell to the ground.

Kid Flash rushed up to the Red Tornado wannabe at super speed, the blur around his body disappearing as he flipped into the air with a handspring, legs out in front of his body as he executed a textbook dropkick.

As picture perfect as the kick was, Twister simply waved his hand and a funnel of air kicked up around the speedster's body, the sheer force of it enough to halt Kid Flash's momentum. With another twist of his hand, Twister sent the speedster flying out through the main entrance currently lacking any doors.

M'gann, Robin and Aqualad, none of them as fast as Wally or Superboy, shared a nod between themselves and rushed the villain in unison. Before any of them could get within feet of him, Mister Twister swung his arms to face them, the action sending a torrent of wind racing to meet them. Aqualad's eyes widened and he crossed his arms to guard his face while Robin tried to leap out of the way, his reaction far quicker than Kaldur's.

Regardless, he wasn't quick enough. Already mid-leap, the blast was large enough to wing him, sending Robin flying back through the air while it struck Aqualad head-on, the force sending the much denser Atlantean tumbling head over heels and into a metal guardrail, grunts of pain coming from both boys.

With her flight providing her far more maneuverability than both Robin and Kaldur's landlocked movement, Miss Martian was able to dodge the onslaught of wind Twister sent at her, banking out of the way of the spinning current. Unperturbed, Twister simply redirected the blast of wind into a miniature tornado, catching Miss Martian in it's powerful wake as she let out a sudden yelp of shock.

A moment later, that yelp shifted from that of shock to pain as the tornado exploded outwards, sending M'gann flying into the ground hard enough to leave a slight crack from the impact.

 **"I was prepared to be challenged by a member of the Justice League, someone worthy of a fight,"** Twister goaded the teens as they rose to their feet, Kid Flash running back into the power plant to join his team. Much like the rest of the team, he wasn't too worse for wear from Twister's attacks, only far dirtier than the rest due to his landing outside. **"I was not, however, expecting children."**

"We're not children!" Robin yelled, pulling out two more red discs and throwing them directly at Twister.

Without so much as a reaction, Twister side-stepped the devices, paying little attention to them even as they exploded behind him. **"Objectively, you are. Minors. Youngsters. Anklebiters, if you'll pardon the expression."**

"Call us children if you must," Aqualad cut in, water bearers still in the shape of swords as he held them in front of him, "but be warned that our experience far surpasses yours."

"Yeah. I bet no one's even heard of a _Mister Twister_ anywhere," Wally added, making air quotes as he spoke the villain's chosen name. "Besides, you're attacking a power plant in Jersey. How tough could you be?"

Wally's comment seemed to hit home as Twister's body language shifted, his hands tightening into massive fists with a whir of metal. **"This endless prattle tires me. The very idea of child superheroes tires me. If I am to be honest, I find your presence here quite disturbing."**

"Well, we hate to see you disturbed." Robin bit back, pulling out more explosive discs from his seemingly endless supply. "Let's see if you're more turbed once we kick your can!"

 **"Ah, juvenile wordplay. How delightf-"**

Twister was interrupted, his sentence cut off midway by the groaning sound of metal under immense stress as M'gann thrust out her hands. When the Martian reversed the motion, jerking her arms back, the metal dome above Twister gave way under her power, the structure tearing itself apart and dumping a thick cloud of steam atop the villain.

With a roar, Superboy leapt into the air, performing a repeat of his opening move against Twister, only now relying on the the wall of steam to hide his approach. To his dismay, it was just as effective as the first time.

Sent flying up by an explosive burst of wind, Superboy's back met the ceiling and created a web of spider-web cracks before another powerful air current from Twister sent him careening into a shocked Miss Martian, the clone's hard skull meeting hers as they crashed into the floor in a tangled heap. Robin and Aqualad quickly dodged rather than rush in, avoiding the tornados sent their way with equally impressive feats of acrobatics.

Kid Flash simply zipped around the plant floor, waiting for an opening as he weaved in and out of Mister Twister's range, the speedster doing his utmost to avoid being caught in the armored aerokinetic's attacks.

Robin followed Wally's lead as he kept himself mobile, the Boy Wonder occasionally hurling throwing weapons and explosives towards the villain, all the while proving just how nimble someone trained by Batman could be.

Nowhere near as agile as the young acrobat, Aqualad was forced to rely on an alternative method of defense. Thrusting his waterbearers out in front of him, his tattoos began to glow brightly, the water swords in his hand surging forth and coalescing into one large shield in front of the Atlantean.

The sight caught Twister's attention, the villain's head turning in his direction, and Aqualad's defense was suddenly put to the test, a series of wind blasts battering the aqueous shield. Grunting slightly as he was pushed back, the Atlantean glanced over at his unpowered teammate with a concerned expression, spotting the young teen as he vaulted over a miniature tornado the villain sent at him.

"Robin!"

Still ducking and dodging for all he was worth, the Boy Wonder spared the older boy a glance and responded just as loudly, straining his voice to be heard over the rushing wind. "What is it, Aqualad?"

"We cannot win like this!" Kaldur shouted back, continuing to maintain his shield amid Twister's constant barrage. "His abilities put us at a disadvantage."

"You've got a plan?" The Boy Wonder flipped over a railing, tossing a handful of explosives at Twister mid-leap. To his chagrin, the villain caught the bombs in a tornado, the wind encapsulating them for a single moment before an opening appeared in the wind funnel and all four of the bombs shot towards Aqualad at high speed.

The blond let out a pained grunt as the explosives detonated in unison against his defense, forcing his protection to shudder with the sheer force of them. The smoke cleared a moment later, Aqualad still standing but his shield diminished to half its size. "These unfocused assaults will get us nowhere! We need to work together!"

"Not much of a plan!" Robin replied, the smile on his face shifting to an effort-laden scowl as he flipped off a concrete pillar to avoid another gale from Twister.

"Oh, like you've got a better one?" Kid Flash shouted from the other end of the room, zipping back and forth between Twister's constant attacks. "I'll take what I can get here!"

"Teamwork is all we need to secure victory!" Aqualad announced, pausing for a moment to alter the shape of his shield to make better use of what water he had left.

"That's it? That's your big plan?" Superboy's voice shouted from behind Kaldur, the clone already back on his feet. Both arms were raised in front of his face, shielding his eyes from the rushing wind. " _Work together?_ "

Miss Martian stood by his side, her eyes glowing as she redirected Twister's blasts away from the two of them with her telekinesis. "It could work. We _have_ been really disorganized."

"Yes!" Kaldur shouted again, beginning to step forward with his shield still up. "The six of us can defeat him if we fight as one!"

"Six of us?" Robin remarked, his questioning tone bearing a strong note of confusion. "I think you've got your math wrong 'cause I'm only counting five!"

Aqualad paused his advance, a look of confusion spreading across his face at Robin's reply. " _Five?_ What do you mean..."

Pale green eyes widened as Aqualad glanced around himself in shock. "Ezekiel!" Aqualad yelled, his voice much louder than it had been previously. "Where is Ezekiel?"

Miss Martian glanced over at Aqualad, a look of concentration on her face as she tried to keep Twister's aerokinesis at bay. "I thought he was with you!"

"Ezekiel!"

"The newbie's missing?" Robin shook his head, letting out a laugh as he did so. "Here I thought the vanishing act was my thing."

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

The newbie in question wasn't actually missing at all, at least not from his perspective. To be honest, he wasn't even that far from his team at all, considering that he was close enough to hear Aqualad shouting out his name. It just happened to be that he was hiding behind a concrete pillar, crouched into a small ball and doing his best not to let the giant robot villain man see him.

Why was he hiding?

Well...

 _They took me to fight a supervillain? Seriously?_ Zeke shouted inside his head, the young teen wincing as another gust of wind roared past the sides of his hiding place. _I have like less than no training and barely any powers. Why did I even get on that stupid cool ship?_

His bad mood certainly wasn't helped by the fact that his own power was hell-bent on having him commit suicide by supervillain.

* * *

 **Mission Created!**

 **A Rude Windstorm**

 _Work together with the rest of your team to take down Mister Twister by providing as much support as you possibly can or drawing the villain's attention to let others attack him._  
 **Success:** 1250 XP, + 5 Stat Points, + 4 Resistance: Blunt Force, + 1 VIT

 **Bonus:** Defeat Mister Twister on your own.

 **Failure:** Loss of Trust, Disappointment

* * *

 _What kind of BS is that?_ Zeke couldn't help but think to himself, both hands clutching his head. _Even my power wants me dead! It's bad enough that I have to act as bait, it wants me to try and beat the villain on my own. F that! F that in the A!_

Zeke let out a quiet groan of frustration at the situation he was in, seeing as he had no real path out of danger. _Yep, Mister Captain Atom, sir. I would just_ _ **love**_ _to be a sidekick and go up against murderer and psychopaths with godlike powers. It's always been my dream to die before I'm old enough to get my driver's license, yessiree._

 _Why did I agree to this?_ The kid shook his head once more, unable to stop himself from flinching as he heard Kaldur shout his name once more. Interestingly, Zeke didn't feel all that scared or nervous of the villain, to be honest. Of course, he was a little scared but it would be a stretch to call what he was feeling right now ' _fear'._ Thanks to Gamer's Mind, all he felt was a detached sort-of fear, the same sort of reaction someone would have towards the concept of a wild animal instead of the mindless fear of actually being face to face with a vicious predator.

Regardless of how weird it was to suddenly be forced to calm down every minute or so, Zeke could appreciate the fact that Gamer's Mind could keep his head clear enough for him to realize how much shit he was in, as opposed to leaving him a gibbering mess. _Something to be thankful for if I live past today._

Another explosion of wind burst just a few meters away from where he hid, derailing Zeke's train of thought and forcing him to shut his eyes due to the sheer closeness of it. The teen opened them again as he heard a grunt of pain, eyes widening as he saw Kaldur hurtling past his hiding place at high speed. The rookie let out another sharp flinch as the Atlantean's back slammed _hard_ into the concrete wall closest to the pillar he hid behind, the wall itself giving way slightly on impact. _Holy crap! That had to have broken his back or something!_

Seriously, after a hit like that, Zeke expected the blond to hit the ground in a crumpled, broken heap what with the broken _spine_ and all. To his surprise, Kaldur sprung away from the wall, catching himself as he fell to the ground in a picture-perfect three-point landing, water swords still in hand.

 _And of course, he's just fine._ Zeke thought to himself, shaking his head. _Goddang comic books._

Looking the very picture of heroism, the Atlantean glanced up as he caught sight of the younger boy shrinking against the pillar. The two teens locked eyes, Kaldur's firm and determined teal staring back at Zeke's nervous hazel. For a moment, Zeke could see visible disappointment in his team leader's eyes, the sight making him flinch.

 _What am I doing?_ After a moment's thought, the boy shook his head and stared back defiantly at Kaldur, unwilling to look away. _Don't look at me like that._ Zeke felt like screaming, growing more annoyed by the moment as he ranted in his own head. _The guys made of metal and you just took a hit that would snap me like a twig. If you guys can't beat him, how am I supposed to help?_

With a shake of his head at Zeke, Kaldur leapt back back into the fray against Mister Twister, leaving another visible set of cracks as the Atlantean kicked off the concrete. Zeke shook his head as well, a mix of frustration and annoyance leaving him bristling at Kaldur. _He's that strong but he's looking at me like I should be doing something? What a joke!_

The sounds of battle continued for a few more seconds, shouts of effort and roars for Superboy audible even above the sounds of Twister's servos and whistling wind. For a quick moment, Zeke caught sight of Connor as the demi-Kryptonian was caught off-guard by a blast from Twister. Sent sliding back by the wind, he crashed into a stack of barrels by the main entrance, directly in front of Zeke's line of sight.

His face contorted into an expression of anger, Superboy sent his fist through a barrel with a scream, tearing through the squealing metal like paper.

 _Wow, talk about intense,_ the rookie thought as the clone rushed out of his view once more. _Man, Connor could use an anger management class or two. He's almost as bad as the_ _ **other**_ _Superboy._ A moment later, Zeke shook his head in frustration. _Why am I thinking about that guy right now? I can't even see what's going on back there. Unless..._

Curiosity getting the better of him, Zeke peeked around the pillar, eyes widening as Superboy and Miss Martian tried to rush the villain, Miss Martian tearing apart a railing with a telekinesis to entrap him with while Superboy did the predictable thing and charged him head-on, screaming his head off at the same time. _Why do they keep rushing him?_ Zeke couldn't help but think. _It just doesn't work. He's got range!_

 **"As you children seem quite unfamiliar with the very concept of manners, it falls upon me to administer some discipline."** Unperturbed by the assault, Twister thrust both hands out, sending up another blast of wind, this one nearly encompassing the entire power plant.

 **"To put it in your terms,"** Mister Twister paused, extending his hands out, **"I'm taking you all to school."**

"Guys!" Zeke let out a surprised shout, the sound itself almost a scream, as the rest of the team were lifted bodily into the air by the powerful twister, each of them rapidly spinning in its wake like tops before it exploded violently, sending all of them flying in seperate directions.

Superboy was sent up into the ceiling, the half-Kryptonian's head actually going _through_ it for a single second before the material around him crumbled and sent him falling to the floor. Wally, on the other hand, was sent hurtling violently through the set of bay doors behind Twister, Aqualad flying after him in an out of control tumble.

Zeke could only watch as the rest of the team fell back to the ground, each of them in various states of unconsciousness or suffering severe vertigo from the sudden spin.

 _Come on! Do something! All of them are down! At least try!_ Zeke felt the blue inside him rise as he berated himself, the stream in his mind's eye shifting to a bubbling, churning pool and filling him with an idea. Hunched over behind the pillar, he glanced down at his enclosed fist for a moment before opening his hand. The teen flexed his fingers as he felt the energy thrumming underneath his palm as it pulsed in time with his heartbeat. This blue...

No, this _mana_ was part of him. He could _control_ it, Zeke realized, _use_ it…

Just do _something_ with it other than hide behind a pole while the rest of his team got stomped on by a bad guy in a stupid scarf. The bad guy in question seemed to think his job here was at an end, the villain rising into the air and turning his back on the sidekicks lying prone on the plant floor.

 _Now's my chance! I've got something for you!_ Running on nothing but instinct and anger, the boy jumped out from behind the pillar he had hidden behind and thrust a hand out in front of him. "Hey, gearbox, take this!"

Just as Zeke expected, something shot from his open palm, a burst of bright blue light about the size of his fist. The jagged ball of energy flew fast, far faster than Zeke knew he could run and struck the armored villain across his back with a detonation of cobalt energy.

* * *

 **Skill Created!**

 **Mana Burst Lv 1**

 _Pew-pew! Pew-pew-pew!_

A hastily-formed burst of energy with an unspecified nature.

 **Max Damage:** 10% of INT x Skill Level

 **Minimum Cost:** 5 Mana

* * *

 **Mana Burst Lvl Up!**

 **1→2**

 **Awareness: Mana Lvl Up!**

 **8→12**

* * *

 **"What… "** Twister turned as he spoke, revolving in mid-air to face Zeke. As he rounded on the only member of the young team left standing, the aerokinetic tilted his head forward, the movement creating an audible metallic whine. **"What even _was_ that? Was that _you?_ "**

Zeke blinked at the question, suddenly finding himself with the pleasure of bearing the full attention of a powerful bad guy. He did not enjoy the feeling at all. "… _No_?" The single syllable slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it, becoming a question that he was asking himself more than anything else as his gaze dropped away from the bad guy to stare at his own hands.

 _Did I really just do that?_

Blue light wafted off his still-glowing palm, trailing away as some sort of odd mist that began to quickly fade the further it got from his skin. _Oh my god,_ an excited smile snapped into existence on his face, _I really just did that!_

A moment later, the same smile vanished with the same quickness, Zeke's gaze slowly moving upwards to the figure still hovering in mid-air as a dawning horror seemed to turn his veins to ice. _Oh my god,_ Zeke took a shaky step backwards, fingers trembling as he stared open-mouthed at the villain in front of him, _I_ _ **really**_ _just did that._

 **"I assume you intended to hurt me with whatever that was?"** Twister asked, that genteel voice of his somehow making him more threatening.

"W-would you believe me if I said n-no?", Zeke offered, his heart dropping into his stomach as he realized the position he was in. He made a move to step back, only for Twister to shift slightly, Zeke freezing in place out of wariness.

 **"...No. No, I would not."** If Zeke wasn't witnessing it right this moment, he would have doubted the possibility of a giant metal figure performing a gesture so undeniably human as a shrug. Even still, it just looked wrong, if the boy had to be honest with himself.

 **"If you wish to intrude upon the matters of adults, _child_ ,"** Twister paused for a moment, placing emphasis on the word that Zeke felt wasn't really necessary. He already knew how old he was, thank you very much. **"The consequences are yours to face."**

The scarf-wearing villain turned to the side and flicked his hand in a motion that on anyone else Zeke would have described as lazy gesture. Considering what this Mister Twister could do with a simple gesture, Zeke's eyes quickly widened as he realized what was coming next.

" _Superboy, hel-urk!_ "

 **-35**

His cry for assistance was cut off mid-sentence as a wall of wind slammed into him, the force carrying Zeke off his feet and hurling him across the room on a spinning current of controlled wind. _Oh, this is gonna hurt._

 **-10**

* * *

 **\+ 1 VIT**

* * *

 **Resistance: Blunt Force Lvl Up!**

 **2→4**

* * *

Shutting his eyes in expectation of striking the wall, the young sidekick came to a jarring stop against a hard surface. Zeke flinched on contact, his body instinctively tensing, only to feel completely confused moments later as he was in _much_ less pain than he would have expected. To be honest, whatever he hit felt more like a wall of solid flesh instead of a wall of solid… _wall_.

Fully opening his eyes, Zeke blinked as he spotted the taller teen laying slumped against the wall, his own body directly on top of the familiar red "S". _Holy crap, that worked._ A moment later, Zeke glanced back up, only to cringe away slightly as Superboy's narrowed blue eyes glared back down at him. "...Hi."

" _Get. Off. Me."_

"Got it."

 **"To use your turn of phrase, that was rather _turbing_. I hope all of you have learned a valuable lesson when it comes to leaving the adults to their business."** With that said, the villain turned around again, flying vertically as he left the power plant.

Superboy quickly got to his feet as Zeke stepped away from him, M'gann lifting herself and Robin from the ground with her telekinesis. Hands clenched into fists at his side, Superboy didn't even bother paying the other three any more attention, whooshing past them in a blur as he attempted to chase down Twister.

Robin grunted, flinching as Superboy's sudden departure kicked up another burst of wind in their faces. The Boy Wonder leaned back against the wall, one hand rubbing his side as his teeth grit in a pained expression. "Did he _not_ hear what Aqualad said? We can't just rush out there like that if we don't want to get our butts handed to us."

M'gann floated up, bobbing in the air with a worried expression on his face as Superboy's trademark roar sounded from outside. "But what can we do? Even when we all attack him at once, he just knocks us back." One hand rose up to her forehead, the green girl rubbing her forehead repeatedly as she spoke.

"Ugh," Zeke gave a shrug as he let out a pained groan of his own, his body feeling like he had just received an all-over beatdown from a champion boxer, "No idea. That energy blast thingy I did was something I just figured out like five seconds ago and it did nothing so…" He lifted his eyebrows for a quick moment, leaning up against the wall as well, " _ugh,_ this is a disaster."

Robin shook his head again, opening his mouth again to reply, "Why is it never just aster?"

 _What?_ The other thirteen year old blinked at the non sequitur, wondering just where that had come from. _What the heck is_ _ **aster**_ _?_

Deciding not to bring it up, Zeke simply muttered the word "Inventory" and stuck his arm into the air, both M'gann and Robin watching with surprised expressions as his arm disappeared up to the elbow. The young teen pulled out a Kalteen bar, already half-eaten from his snack this morning and took a bite of it as he looked up at his teammates. "I'm gonna need a minute before I can take another hit from Twister. You guys can head on out without me. I'll… I'll catch up."

Zeke had tried to choose his words carefully, crafting the sentences as best he could in a way that didn't sound as if he had been hiding for most. However, with the way Robin's eyebrow had risen, the thing visible enough to be seen above his sunglasses, he doubted he had succeeded.

"You sure you guys don't want to head back out?" Robin spoke up after a moment, the Boy Wonder wiping his forehead with a sleeve. "Superboy sounds like he's giving Twister a hard time and I figure since Kaldur and Wally are out there, we might as well give this teamwork thing one more try, right?"

Zeke's eyes shifted upwards, the thirteen year old slowing down mid-bite as his eyes shifted from side-to-side.

* * *

 **HP:** 82/110 [125] (+ 11 HP/30 sec)

 **Will:** 103/103(+ 6 Will/30 sec)

 **[Kalteen Weight Gain Bar]**

 **(+15 HP for 5 minutes)**

 **( +10 HP regen for 5 minutes)**

 **(+5 Will regen for 5 minutes)**

* * *

"...Yeah, why not?" Despite the confident grin he gave Robin, Zeke was ready to drop everything and run, well aware of how easily Twister could kill him. _I swear to god, this universe better have an afterlife or something cause I'm sure as hell not gonna stay dead._

Nodding, Robin turned to M'gann, a smirk on his face. "M'gann, can you fly us out there?"

"No problem," the green girl beamed at the request, raising her hands in the air as her eyes began to glow.

Zeke's eyelids drooped as he was hoisted into the air by an unseen force, the young teen already regretting not pretending like he was seriously hurt to avoid being forced to participate in this fight again. _Oh, this is gonna suck._

The three of them flew out through the bay doors in a tight grouping, Zeke too busy complaining to himself to enjoy the freedom of being in the air. As quickly as they had taken off, the two of them were quickly dropped, M'gann lowering them onto the grass below as they caught sight of the fight taking place in front of them.

Compared to the events in the building, where Twister effectively manhandled all of them, the fight in front of them was far more of a stalemate. The open space and distance seemed to be working to the three boys' advantage, allowing each of them space to maneuver around both each other and Twister's attacks.

Even still, they all looked a little more than ruffled, their clothes and skin marked with grass and dirt stains from what were presumably nasty tumbles courtesy of the villain they were trying to defeat. Regardless, they didn't seem to let it hinder them.

"As futile as your actions have been, I would have thought you had all learned your limitations by now," Twister announced, the villain slowly rising higher into the air.

Aqualad took a step forward, face contorted in anger as he shouted, "What do you want?!"

 **"Isn't it obvious? I'm waiting for a _real_ hero. I'm sure there are those who enjoy the sight of children in tights but to be perfectly honest, I've never been one of them."**

Both Aqualad and Robin visibly bristled at the comment while Superboy let out an angry growl, hands curling into tight fists as he squared his broad shoulders.

"M'gann," The Boy Wonder glanced over at Miss Martian, the green girl staring up at Twister as the villain rose into the air. "We need you to read his mind. Find out how to take him down. We can't keep doing this forever."

"I thought I wasn't supposed to do that." M'gann frowned, looking contrite as she stared over at the villain. "You guys told me…"

"It's okay with the bad guy!" Robin retorted, gesturing outwards with his arms.

"Yeah, Megan, he's a bad guy!" Zeke shouted, hoping the telepath could stop the fight before he had to do something that he knew would end with Twister blasting him again. "They don't count!"

The Martian girl nodded hesitantly, seeming to accept their reasoning as she ducked her head and raised two fingers to her temple in a traditional psychic stance. The girl frowned, shaking her head slightly as she spoke up. "Nothing. I'm getting nothing."

A moment later, she batted her palm against the side of her head and opened her eyes as she turned to face the team. " _Hello, Megan._ Mister Twister's inorganic! I can't read his mind! He has to be an android! And how many androids do we know that can make tornadoes?"

 _He's Red Tornado!? Oh my god, how didn't I see it?_ Zeke's eyes widened, his mouth falling open in surprise. _We were never in any danger, huh?_ He thought to himself, a wave of relief hitting him as he let out a relaxed sigh. _The League would never send someone like me out there on a_ _ **real**_ _mission without training anyway, right? That'd just be stupid._

Superboy was the first to actually respond to the telepath's revelation, letting out a furious roar as he slammed his foot down onto the ground. As he stomped a small crater into the ground, the clone turned away from the supposed villain to M'gann with. "Are you kidding me?! We've been fighting Red Tornado this whole time?!"

"It makes some sense." Aqualad nodded his head slowly, the Atlantean obviously mulling over M'gann's words. "Tornado was the one to send us here."

"After saying we'd be… _tested soon enough_ ," Robin spat the sentence out like it was something filthy, his lips curling into a sneer of distaste as he stared up at the aerokinetic still hanging in the sky. "This is his test! Something else to keep us busy and out of the way."

Wally's whine was loud enough for everyone to hear, the boy throwing his hands into the air in defeat. "Dude, _really?_ "

Zeke couldn't help the slight shrug he gave at Wally's words. _I don't mind honestly. I got a quest, a couple skills leveled up,_ _ **and**_ _I'm not fighting a real psycho with powers, so… feels like a plus for me._

"Man," Wally continued, hanging his head listlessly, "Speedy called it. We're a joke."

Aqualad seemed to share the shorter boy's sentiments, his own mouth turning downwards in an impressive frown as he turned away from M'gann, Robin and Zeke. Slamming a fist into his open palm, Kaldur let out his rage in a growl of his own, albeit one far more restrained than Superboy's, before glancing up at Twister. "We will not be part of your game anymore!"

Robin ran up to Aqualad's side, with M'gann and a smiling Zeke at his heels. "We know who you are and what you want."

Wally zipped over to Robin's side, the speedster skidding slightly on the grass as he lightly bumped into M'gann's side. "Hope you had fun, cause we didn't."

Superboy cracked his knuckles, a grimace still on his face. "So, let's end this."

 **"Very well. Consider it ended,"** Twister replied, a dark note underlying the elegance of his voice. The robot raised his hands in the air as tight wind funnels began to form over them, twisting and curving into a helix as the clouds directly above Twister rapidly began to darken, as if to herald an oncoming thunderstorm.

"An impressive show," Aqualad called out, quickly glancing at the rest of his teammates, Superboy especially, "but we will _not_ indulge you!" Aqualad pointed a finger at the villain, unflinching in his determination. "We will not engage."

Zeke felt his smile grow a little bit at Aqualad's words, only for him to flinch as the wind began to pick up again, the entire sky above the power plant going dark as the clouds that the android created continued to spread

 _Why do I feel like we might have jumped the gun here?_ Zeke's eyes widened as he spotted lightning bursting from within the clouds Twister was forming, the wind becoming far more violent than it had been before. "Uh, guys?" He had already begun stepping back, inching away from the tight cluster the team was in as soon he saw the first burst of lightning.

Something about this _really_ didn't feel right and he did not want to be caught front and center if this Not-Tornado threw another set of wind blasts down on their heads. He paused for a moment, raising his hands in front of his face as the wind violently whipped at him. The young teen was already beginning to doubt that Twister actually was Red Tornado for _several_ reasons, and he really didn't want to be proven right. "Guys, _seriously_ , can… can Red Tornado do that?"

His question went unanswered by the group as Twister began to speak again, the android's voice positively malevolent by this point. **"You think _I'm_ Tornado?"** The thirteen-year old flinched as Twister let out a self-satisfied chuckle, the lightning around him seeming to growing more intense with every passing second, **"Ironic."**

 _Oh._ Zeke's eyes widened further, his irises shrinking to pinpricks as Twister thrust his hands higher into air, the lightning in the clouds seeming to intensify once more, the epicenter of the charge right above Twister's upraised palms. _Oh no._

" _Move!"_

Screaming his warning, Zeke leapt away from the rest of his team as the _huge_ lightning bolt came down just in front of them with a flash of light and an explosive burst of heat, the blast nearly engulfing the gathered teens. Already mid-leap much like Robin and Kid Flash, the shockwave from it only worked to propel Zeke forward and away from the epicenter of the strike, sending him flying once more.

 **-11**

 **-7**

 **-4**

 **-3**

The boy slammed into the ground with a grunt, repeating the sound as he tumbled across the grass. He had curled up as tight as he could mid-roll, but even that wasn't enough to ease the pain, his body hurting all over as his jumpsuit scraped across the grass.

* * *

 **Abilities Gained!**

 **Acrobatics** **Lv 1**

 _Basically a flip kick, but without the kick part._  
An ability that enables you to pull off backflips, frontflips and any manner of jumping-based ground-movement technique with greater ease.

 **Reflexes Lv 2**

 _DODGE!_

Decreases innate reaction time by 10% per level. **(20%)**

* * *

Grunting slightly, Zeke pulled himself back to his feet, doing his best to ignore the many cuts and scrapes he could feel all over his skin, not to mention the bruising. Standing up, he glanced around for his team, a trickle of worry entering his thoughts. _They're all down. I told them to move!_ _This guy controls lightning! Lightning! People die from lightning! A villain that controls lightning! We're dead! We're so freaking dead!_

His breath came in short quick pants for a few seconds, until dying away to something much calmer as Zeke was suddenly forced back into focus, a veritable ocean of _calm_ washing over him.

* * *

 **[Paralyzing Fear]** negated by Gamer's Mind.

* * *

The boy shuddered slightly, stepping back as he shook his head. _So much better. At least I can think without freaking out now._

Panicked or not, Zeke's previous thoughts were at least partially correct. The team _had_ been rendered mostly insensate by the large thunderbolt Mister Twister had hurled down on them but the entire group wasn't out for the count. Miss Martian, Kid Flash and Aqualad had been thrown clear from the explosion by the force of the shockwave, the three of them obviously in no shape to get up by the looks of them. On the other hand, both Robin and Superboy were still standing after the massive blast, the latter in far better shape that the former even despite being at ground zero when it touched down.

Truth be told, apart from the now-tattered brown jacket Superboy had on, his clothes weren't even damaged much, apart from some slight tears and singed fabric. The clone tore the remnants of his jacket without even looking down, facing the robot in the sky with a face full of rage.

Zeke's eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen. " _Superboy, don-"_

The words had barely left his lips when the half-Kryptonian surged into the sky with a grunt, fist drawn back as he once more tried to punch the weather-controlling android.

With a raised hand, Twister launched forth twin bolts of lightning, these admittedly much smaller than the previous one had been but impressive nonetheless. The bolts struck home, slamming directly into Superboy's torso with a sound like a thunderclap and sending him rocketing towards the ground like a meteor.

Superboy crashed into the ground with such speed and force that his body dug a long ditch from the point of impact to the point where he finally came to a stop, a mountain of dirt pushed aside by his momentum serving as a resting place for his prone form.

 **"Predictable and pointless once again,"** Twister announced, lightning crackling around his fingers.

Zeke found himself gulping, his mouth feeling uncomfortably dry as he regained his balance from Superboy's earth-shaking landing. _That would have torn right through me… killed me. Holy…_

Zeke gulped again, glancing back at his team with a panicked expression. With Superboy still down, that only left Robin in any position to do something. " _Robin?!_ What do we do?"

"I… I…" The other thirteen year old grit his teeth as he rapidly glanced between Twister and his fallen teammates. "Pick up M'gann and run! I'll get Wally!"

Zeke couldn't help a frown of his own, glancing at the two left unmentioned. "But Aqualad and Supe-"

"They're the toughest out of all of us!" Robin interrupted, quickly shouting down Zeke's complaint. "They… they'll be fine! JUST GO!"

Zeke nodded rapidly, following the Boy Wonder's instructions as he ran to the Martian girl's side. Bending over, he tried to copy what Robin had just done with Kid Flash and grabbed Miss Martian by both arms, trying to hoist her over his shoulder in his best approximation of a fireman's carry.

" _Ngggh…_ what the…" Zeke found himself straining to lift more than the girl's torso above the ground, her small frame hiding an incredible amount of weight. " _Come on!"_

"Zeke!" Robin called out, a mix of frustration and fear audible in his voice. The dark-skinned boy snapped his head around to see Robin just a few meters away, nearly to the closest treeline with Kid Flash on his back. "Move it already!"

"I can't!" He called back, desperately trying to haul M'gann up to her feet. "She's too heavy!"

" _What?!_ "

Rather than answer back, Zeke just gave up on lifting the green girl, instead attempting to pull her across the ground. After a few pointless tugs, he was forced to quit even that as he was barely able to drag her more than a few feet through the grass and dirt as the wind whipped violently at his face. The sky rumbled with thunder, the sound enough to cause Zeke's heart to drop into his stomach as he glanced up at Twister.

"Rather than prolong this pointless back and forth," Twister began as he raised his hands up once more, "I propose we put an end to this before you get a chance to irritate me any further." Once more, lightning beginning to crackle around the villain's mammoth palms, not as intensely as they had the first time but still an undoubtedly terrifying sight to behold.

" _Zeke!_ Just run!"

 _No, I can't…_ Zeke shook his head rapidly at Robin's words, trying to deny the boy's advice. His body seemed to disagree with his thoughts, his fingers shaking as M'gann's arms fell from his grip, his legs taking several trembling steps back. _I can't... I can't run._ The mantra repeated in the boy's head as his gaze snapped down to the unconscious girl at his feet, quickly turning to Aqualad's unmoving form before falling on Superboy, the clone immobile with his back to a small mountain of dirt. _I can't… I can't..._

His hands flew to the side of his head, the young boy shutting his eyes as he tried to _just think_ for a single moment. _I..._

* * *

 **[Paralyzing Fear]** negated by Gamer's Mind.

* * *

 _I CAN'T RUN!_

Hazel eyes opened again, fear replaced by determination and unshakeable focus. _I can't just leave them to die!_ His hands curled into claws at his side, the boy staring at his palms as if they held the answer. Shaking his head again, he took in a deep breath, desperately hoping he wasn't about to kill himself with a stupid idea. _Please work. Please._

His hands glowed with blue energy, his mana thrumming under his skin again as he called on it, ready to be used for a purpose. Releasing the breath, Zeke thrust his hands straight up in the air, his mind focused on what he needed more than anything else. _Just give me something! Anything! Protect me._

The glow around his hands brightened further, his hands shining like a searchlight as Zeke actively pulsed mana with a single goal in mind. _Protect me._

With slow measured movements, Twister lowered his hands, the lightning in the sky shifting for a moment as it began to coalesce to a point directly in front of the villain's open palms.

Zeke refused to blink as he stared up at Twister, his mind still focused with the calmness of Gamer's Mind keeping away any fear. He could feel the energy responding as he pulled at it, both arms tingling pleasantly as he circulated more and more mana through them.

 _ **PROTECT.**_

Something rippled in the air in front of Zeke's eyes, his hands glowing brighter as the ripple seemed to spread further outwards as he watched. Out of nowhere, the ripple in the air was replaced by a flat plane of glowing blue light the same cobalt shade as the energy in Zeke's hands.

* * *

 **Skill Created!**

 **Mana Shield**

 _Shields at 20% and holding!_

A protective construct formed from the desire for protection and made from an energy of an unspecified nature.

Drains 1 MP for every point of damage blocked.

Shatters if more than 20% of MP is drained by a single blow.

Ignores damage up to 1% of INT x VIT x Skill Level.

 **Minimum Cost:** 5 Mana

* * *

 **Awareness: Mana Lvl Up!**

 **12→14**

* * *

There was a gasp from both Zeke and Robin, the former an expression of excitement while the latter was borne of shock. Both emotions were short-lived, neither boy able to focus on the moment in front of them as the sky crackled again and Twister let loose with a blast of lightning that lit up the sky.

" _Duck!"_

His scream to Robin quickly turned into a grunt of pain as the burst of lightning from Twister's hands shot forth, the light alone enough to blind him. The boy let out another groan, this one shifting into a full-bore scream as the blast struck home.

 _-2950_

 **-64**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **Ezekiel Patrick Armstrong**

 **Title:** None

 **Level 1**

 **XP:** 50/250

 **Age:** 13

 **HP:** 42/110* (125) _[340]_

 **MP:** 0/90

 **Will:** 105/105

 **STR:** 18* _[25]_

 **SPD:** 22* _[31]_

 **VIT:** 24*

 **INT:** 18

 **WIS:** 9

 **CHA:** 10

 **Stat Points:** 2

 **Perk Points:** 0

 **Cash:** $375

* * *

 **Traits**

 **Malnourished:** Too little to eat for too long has weakened your body, drained you of vitality and made you more susceptible to bumps and bruises. **(-30% to STR & SPD, Health does not gain VIT bonus, Health/Will recovery is slowed by 50%, and Will-based skills cost twice as much)**

 **Bright Kid:** While you're no genius or some prodigy, you're obviously brighter than most kids. By the time you're an adult, however, no one will care. **(Before the age of 18: +75% to INT gain and +25% to speed of learning Mana-based skills/abilities)**

* * *

 **Perks**

None

* * *

 **Skills**

 **Observe Lv 9** _Kinda like a scouter, but less cool somehow._

Allows you to view the status or qualities of anyone or anything, allowing you to learn information about them.

 **Power Sprint Lv 8** _You'll never be the Flash relying on this alone._ _Still, we've all gotta start somewhere._

While active, your running speed increases by 5% per level. **(40%)  
Cost: **1 Will/s

 **Power Strike Lv 3** _Not exactly a heavy hitter quite yet._

Increases the STR value and knockback of your physical strikes by 10% per level. **(30%)**

 **Cost:** 5 Will

 **Mana Burst Lv 1** _Pew-pew! Pew-pew-pew!_

A hastily-formed burst of energy with an unspecified nature.

 **Max Damage:** 10% of INT x Skill Level

 **Minimum Cost:** 5 Mana

 **Mana Shield Lv 1** _Shields at 20% and holding!_

A protective construct formed from the desire for protection and made from an energy of an unspecified nature. Drains 1 MP for every point of damage blocked. Shatters if more than 20% of MP is drained by a single blow. Ignores damage up to 1% of INT x VIT x Skill Level.

 **Minimum Cost:** 5 Mana

* * *

 **Abilities**

 **Gamer's Body Lv. MAX** _Allows your body to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character._ Sleeping restores HP, MP, Will and removes most negative status effects. Health, Will, and Mana regenerate at a base of 1 point every 30 seconds. Food and drink items can accelerate recovery.

 **Gamer's Mind Lv. MAX** _Allows your mind to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character._ Grants immunity to mental status effects, emotional trauma and severely damaging emotional states. Grants immunity to forceful/unwanted mental intrusion.

 **Acrobatics** **Lv 1** _Basically a flip kick, but without the kick part._

An ability that enables you to pull off backflips, frontflips and any manner of jumping-based ground-movement technique with greater ease.

 **Awareness: Mana Lv 14**

 _Mana, magic energy, magicka, prana, ether, spirit energy, magatsuhi or even chakra… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end._

You have gained awareness of Mana, the spiritual energy found within the human mind and soul. Gaining awareness of your magical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.

 **Awareness: **Willpower** Lv 5**

 _Willpower, ki, chi, qi, stamina, aura, mantra, physical energy, life energy, od, or even hamon… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end._

You have gained awareness of your Willpower, the physical energy found within all living organisms. Gaining awareness of your physical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.

 **Basic Martial Arts Lv. 3  
** _Heroes prefer fists. Apparently, so do sidekicks.  
_ This ability measures your skill and intuition in bare-handed combat, allowing for rapid growth and adaptation in martial arts.

 **Breathing Control Lv. 7  
** _Batman can breathe in space. Why can't you?_ The ability to use oxygen efficiently, enabling you to hold your breath for extended periods of time. Increases by 1 minute every level. **(7 minutes)**

 **Meditation Lv. 6  
** _When the mind is enlightened, the spirit is freed and the body matters not.  
_ The ability to train your mind in order to achieve a state of oneness with your spiritual essence and life force, as well your mind and body.

 **Reflexes Lv 2** _DODGE!_

Decreases innate reaction time by 10% per level. **(20%)**

 **Resistance: Blunt Force Lv 2** _A little pain never hurt anyone._

Reduce all blunt force damage from attacks less than 100% of your health. Increases 1% by level. **(2%)**


	12. Genesis 1-10c

**I'd like to thank all those who pledged to me on Pa treon**

 **Jack, Alec, Whalehunter, José Armando Gutiérrez HernándezBinary Giant, e-addict, Erik Mickiewicz, James Carl Henderson, Liam O' Neil, Mathieu Martineau, Sackthanaban Kounlavong, Cedron Spaulding, Silver W. King, TM, Chris, zdront, Door, Jonathan, Carl Mahon, NexusClown, Brandon Dayne Baugh, AntaeusTheGiant and Sartek. And of course, I can't go without mentioning Segev, who does a great job of Beta as well.**

 **Thanks to my other Betas. Kenmadragon, Dasstan, and the Fanciest of Molasses. Mrwizard, I'd like to especially thank you for the things you caught on this chapter. Seriously, I appreciate all of you guys for your help and I want to make sure you know that.**

* * *

 **Bob:** _Zeke is unable to lift Miss Martian because her shapeshifted form is far denser than she actually looks. The real Martian form is a rather big, bulky creature in Young Justice canon. So, she looks petite but Miss Martian is basically a small anchor._

 **Guest:** _Yeah, it basically hurt a lot._

* * *

 **Genesis 1.10c**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

He choked on nothing, the air driven violently from his lungs as his shield shattered into motes of blue light. Zeke's eyes opened wide, his pupils contristicting to pinpricks as he was lifted off his feet by the resulting shockwave, the raw force of it enough to send him flying back into the grass, the boy letting out silent gasps as he tumbled head over heels across the plain.

What little breath he managed to draw left the boy's lungs in a sudden rush as he came to a relatively pleasant stop against the ground, his face pressed up against a mound of soft dirt and grass.

 **-10**

 **-6**

 **-4**

 **-2**

* * *

 **Ability Gained!**

 **Resistance: Electricity Lv 5**

 _Harmless Electrocution.  
_ Reduce all electrical damage from attacks less than 100% of your health.

Increases 2% by level. **(10%)**

* * *

 **Resistance: Blunt Force Lvl Up!**

 **4→9**

 **\+ 2 VIT**

* * *

"…What?" Zeke gripped the grass, fingers clawing desperately into dirt as he tried to catch his breath, his gasps for air barely audible themselves. Pulling himself up to all fours, the boy found himself retching violently, spitting out a thick clod of grass and dirt as he devolved into a coughing fit. Recovering enough to wipe his mouth, he took in a shuddering breath before asking once more, "...what?"

 **Shatters if more than 20% of MP is drained by a single blow.**

* * *

 **Negative Trait Acquired!**

 **Mana Backlash (Minor)**

 _Why can't I hold all this mana?_

Severe overuse of your existing reserves has hampered your spiritual control, temporarily damaging your ability to restore and control your mana.

 **Base Mana Recovery restricted by 50%**

 **Mana Awareness restricted by 50%**

 **Length:** 25 Hours

* * *

"Oh…" Eyes blinking rapidly, he tried to lift his head but quickly gave up as his sore muscles protested even that little movement. He knew without even checking that he was out of mana completely, the four-digit number in blue that had popped into his mind's eye just moments ago adding an entirely new context to the mental sluggishness he was feeling right now. Considering what those red numbers meant, he doubted his health was all that far behind. "That's… that's… just not good."

His head dropped back onto the ground, bruised and beaten body begging him to just stay down. _I'm done. I'm done. We're done._

The teen didn't want to admit it, but there was nothing else to do, especially with Superboy down. _Twister won._ The mental announcement came with a quiet acceptance of what Zeke expected was coming next from the villain and he quickly shut his eyes, just wishing for it to be over quickly.

"Superboy? Kaldur? _"_ Zeke blinked as the high-pitched voice hit his ears, his exhausted mind drawing a blank before he heard his own name. "Zeke?! _"_

 _M'gann?_ Zeke's eyes widened as he raised his head, spotting the Martian girl flying backwards over to him, one hand creating a ripple in the air that he took to be a shield of her own, what with the way that Twister's winds seemed to scatter against it. As she flew back, she quickly picked up the other two named boys in the tow of her telekinesis.

"M'gann! You have to move! Twister's gonna…" Zeke paused mid-sentence as he glanced up to see the villain in question still hanging in the air as lightning crackled around him. Almost lazily, Twister raised a hand, sending more blasts of wind and spinning currents to assault M'gann's shield instead of bringing down another lightning bolt.

 _Why is he going easy like this? He's just taking his time._ The youngest team member glanced up again, lifting his upper body off the ground as something began to occur to him. _It's like he's stalling or… waiting... for something or..._

 _ **Oh.**_ Zeke blinked, suddenly snapping his attention back to Miss Martian. Her red eyes widened as the boy laying on the ground began to laugh to himself for seemingly no reason at all.

 **+1 INT**

Whether it was the sudden trauma or the slight tingle from the miniscule traces of electricity that his shield couldn't block, Zeke couldn't really say what the cause was for the metaphorical light bulb that went off in his head. Head trauma or not, what he did know for certain was that he _did_ have an idea. Hopefully, it wasn't as insane as he throught.

The boy shook his head as his laughter died down to a slightly eager smile before turning to look the Martian girl right in the eyes. "M'gann, can you link our minds together? All of us, Robin and Kid Flash too, like the way you did before?"

The girl seemed to freeze in mid-air, opening her mouth to say something only for Zeke to pre-empt her refusal, shaking his head as he spoke. "M'gann, you have to do it! We can't afford for you to say no right now!"

The girl flinched at his tone, before letting out a hesitant "A… Are you sure?"

" _Yes!_ "

"Okay, then!" M'gann's eyes narrowed for an instant as she glanced away from Zeke, one hand still forming a deflective shield around her and the three boys, before turning back to him with an unsure smile on her face. "All done."

"Good." Zeke nodded, the movement somewhat jittery as he tried to pull himself together. "All I need you to do now is to keep Twister distracted. Keep a shield up, throw branches, dirt, grass… _trees_ , if you can. Just keep him focused for a few minutes. Can you do that, M'gann?"

She nodded quickly, drifting away from Zeke as she cast a glance up at Twister. "No problem."

"Great. Now," Zeke paused for a moment as he gestured towards Superboy and Aqualad with his chin, "drop 'em."

The Martian let the two boys she held fall to the ground, both of them still unconscious, and Zeke let out an exhausted sigh. Picking himself up from the ground with a few shaky steps, the teen took a moment to focus and let out a powerful scream inside his own head. [ _ **WAKE UP!**_ ]

The mental shout was met with several loud gasps of shock and fear as Superboy, Aqualad and Kid Flash came to life, all of them and Robin clutching their heads as their gasps turned into groans of pain.

[ _Zeke? What?_ ] Robin's voice rang in his head. [ _M'gann! Why'd you… do this again?_ ]

[ _No time for questions!_ ] Ignoring the Boy Wonder, Zeke thought hard in the direction of the Atlantean still clutching his head on the ground. [ _Aqualad! You need to get up! Now! Before Twister makes another move!"_ ]

Aqualad rushed to his feet at Zeke's words, glancing back in confusion at the smaller boy and then shooting a worried look up at Twister as he took several cautious steps back. He glanced back down again, a confused expression on his face as he looked at Zeke before turning into a far more terse one as his gaze snapped to the Martian. [ _M'gann, what did we tell you ab-]_

[ _No time, Kaldur!_ ] Zeke thought to him, cutting him off as the dark-skinned Atlantean flinching once again at the sound of Zeke's voice in his head. The younger boy didn't hesitate, quickly continuing with what he had been saying. [ _We need M'gann to do this right now. We have to work together against Twister!]_

Superboy rose to his feet, a scowl on his face as he rounded on the rest of the team, gaze flicking between M'gann and Zeke. "You're in my head? _I told you to stay out of my head!i"_

[ _Conner! There is a bad guy literally hanging over our heads! Not the time._ ] Zeke shouted back at Superboy, the mental admonishment seeming to have much more power than simple words as Superboy actually stumbled back, the clone shaking his head furiously.

Seemingly unwilling to listen, the clone faced Zeke with gritted teeth as both hands formed into fists at his sides.

Zeke let out an audible sigh, dropping his head down to his chest before raising it again to glance at Superboy. [ _Look, big guy,_ _ **Not. The. Time.**_ _Okay? The four of us need to move now. Like over to those trees right by Robin and Kid Flash so Twister can't get to us. M'gann's gonna cover our backs, right?_ ] He directed the last part towards their resident telepath, hoping she was ready for whatever distraction she had planned.

 _[Get ready to move, guys!_ ] M'gann's voice rang out in their heads for the second time today, Superboy letting out another pained grunt in response.

The Martian raised another hand into the air and for a single moment, nothing happened. Zeke tilted his head upwards, wondering what M'gann was referring to with a confused expression on his face, only for his eyes to suddenly widen as the ground in front of M'gann _exploded_ outwards, scattering a spray of dust outwards like a shockwave.

" _Holy-"_ The word slipped from his mouth, Zeke dropping the mental broadcast for a moment as thick, fist-sized chunks of soil and grass rose up from the ground and shot towards Twister rapidly, each one flying up into the air as if launched from a sequence of cannons.

The robotic villain reacted as quickly as he had before, bursts of wind spiralling from him to defend from Miss Martian's attacks. Ironically, that only served to help M'gann's distracting, the robot's whirlwinds forcing the scattering the soil-based projectiles. As the compacted balls quickly lost cohesion, the air filled with thick particles of dust, Twister's own actions creating an effective smokescreen for the team.

Miss Martian's mental voice sounded out again, catching their attention. [ _Guys, run!_ ]

Already expecting something like this, Zeke jumped on the opportunity and quickly spun on his heels, heading directly towards the retreating forms of Robin and Kid Flash. Stumbling slightly with his first few steps, the thirteen-year-old blinked as the world began to tilt around him, his head doing a remarkably accurate impression of a bobblehead doll as he tried to recover his balance.

 **-2**

" _Ugh…_ "Falling to the ground, Zeke let out a sharp grunt as he held his arms out in front of him to break his fall. Rolling over onto his back with another grunt, the young man glanced up and raised his head to stare at his two approaching teammates as they only just now began to move. Biting down the slight annoyance Zeke could feel at his own inability to contribute, he gave the both of them a weak smile.

"...A little help?"

 **(HP: 18/125)**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **-4**

" _Ughh!"_

The grunt of pain left Zeke's mouth as he hit the ground rather roughly, a result of Superboy opening his arms and letting go of him without warning. He glanced up, shooting the tall boy another weak smile as the clone stared down at him impassively. Grabbing hold of a tree for balance, Zeke pulled himself to his feet and nodded at the half-Kryptonian. [ _Thanks for the help, Conner_.]

He didn't have to fake the sincerity in his voice, actually appreciative that Superboy carried him all this way into the treeline instead of just pulling him to his feet and leaving him on his own. Granted, he would likely have been more appreciative if he hadn't been dropped on the floor like a bag of trash but... _Eh, you get what you get._

Robin raised an eyebrow at Zeke, something that the other boy didn't miss, only to shake his head and glance over at Aqualad with a slight frown on his face. [ _So, what's the plan?_ _M'gann can't hold Twister off forever._ ]

Wind howled above their heads, the leaves around them whistling and rustling as Twister's whirlwinds tore across the plains. Neither of them knew how M'gann was doing out there but as she hadn't called for backup yet, they had to assume she was holding her own defensively for now.

The dark-skinned Atlantean frowned as well, arms folded over his chest. [ _I have no plan. With Twister's attacks and M'gann's mistake towards Mister Twister's true identity, I have not been able to devote focus to any sort of plan._ ]

"So, no plan." Superboy grimaced again, hands balled into fists at his side. "Then what are we doing here?"

Wincing slightly at the reminder that they were on a strict time limit, Zeke let out a sigh and took a few shaky steps forward. [ _I kind of have something. A plan, I mean._ ]

Aqualad shook his head for a quick moment, fixing Zeke with a slight glare as he glanced downwards. [ _Now is not the time for uncertainty, not with a powerful villain after us. Now, do you have a plan or not?_ ]

Zeke fought back the urge to wince again, his hands balling at his sides as he raised them up to his chest. [ _Look,_ ] Zeke began, glancing around at the boys in turn, [ _I don't know what you want me to say but it's not a whole plan. It kinda needs input from you guys._ ]

Robin leaned forward, the boy's frown slowly inching further downwards into full scowl. [ _How much of a plan are we talking about here?_ ]

Zeke's response was a unsure shrug, the teen chewing on his bloody lip as he tried to recall the plan that had come to him in what he could only call a fit of hysteria. After a moment, he raised an eyebrow and thought back, [ _It's pretty bare bones, kinda. Maybe one-fifth of a plan. One-fourth if I push it._ ]

"That's _it?_ " Wally threw his hands into the air, letting out a slight scoff as he did so. "We can't work with a fourth of a plan. I can't believe M'gann's out there buying time for _this._ Twister could be about to kill her or something!"

The youngest of them stopped chewing his lip, the taste of blood filling his mouth again from a freshly opened scab, and shook his head fiercely. "I… I don't think so." He said out loud this time, the words lacking the confidence speaking in his own head seemed to allow him.

Robin's eyebrows seemed to jump up at this, the boy taking a step closer to Zeke. "What makes _you_ so sure?"

"Look," Zeke turned his gaze to Robin, pausing as he tried to gather his thoughts for a moment, "look, Twister said he was looking to fight a member of the Justice League and the guy figured trashing a power plant would catch their attention so…"

"I get it," Robin interrupted, holding up his palm as Zeke clammed up. "You think Twister's trying to stall until a League member shows up."

"More than that, actually," Zeke replied. "I'm pretty sure that he's fighting us _because_ he figures that seeing us in danger will draw our mentors out. Because of that, he's going easy on us so we don't get hurt _too_ bad." The last few words were followed by a steady nod from Robin, the other boys seeming to take his words into consideration.

Aqualad's frown deepened at Zeke's words, the Atlantean stepping forward like Robin. "You can't be sure of this."

The young teen blinked, confused as to exactly what Kaldur meant. "What…"

Aqualad gave a terse shake of his head, arms still folded tightly across his chest. "You cannot be sure of that possibility, Ezekiel. If Twister truly had attracting League attention above all else as his primary goal, killing us would be the ideal motivator for the League to take action."

"No, I…" Zeke's mouth opened up slightly more as he cut himself off, the shorter boy spluttering confusedly for a moment before looking back at Kaldur. "No, it's just that… Look, with how Twister wasn't even putting up much of a fight before, I really don't think he's gonna go out to kill a bunch of sideki-"

Zeke paused, blinking as Wally shot him a glare. _What was that for?_

Before Zeke could vocalize the question, Kaldur nodded his head and spoke up. "You raise a good point. Please, continue."

Zeke paused to bite his lip, teeth still working at the healing scab as he glanced quickly between Kid Flash and Aqualad. "Look, Twister went from dropping several lightning bolts in a row to two blasts at Superboy, and then one right on top of us. I'm not saying that he's not willing to… you know, _kill_ us, considering I had to pull that shield thing out of nowhere to save our respective bacons, but what I _am_ saying is that Twister's not really going to bring his A game. At least, not yet."

"That shield thing..." Robin cocked his head over at Zeke again, a single eyebrow raised. Even behind the dark sunglasses, the other boy got the impression that Robin was doing his very best impression of a Batglare. "How did you do that anyway? What exactly _can_ you do?"

Aqualad, Superboy and Kid Flash tossed confused looks between the two thirteen-year-olds, all three of them having been out of it during Zeke's unveiling of his brand-new skill.

The question and attention forced a wince from Zeke as he tried to think of what to say. "I… I… Look, I don't know if you could tell but I'm kinda new at this." Kid Flash and Robin nodded absentmindedly, agreeing with his description. "All I know is that there's all this energy inside me. I thought it could only do one or two things. Turns out, it can do other stuff."

"I don't know," Wally replied, shrugging. "Energy blasts and shields sounds like a lot more than just 'other stuff.'"

"I guess," Zeke let out a tired breath, "but can we _please focus here?_ I mean, before Twister fries us six ways to Sunday."

His attempt to get the planning back on track was undercut as the rushing wind intensified, entire branches now trembling as Twister's whirlwinds tugged at them from this far away. What sounded like a massive weight hitting the ground sounded off from where they had left M'gann and Zeke couldn't help but realize how similar the sound was to what Miss Martian had done to create a smokescreen out of soil particles just minutes ago.

"Nggh!" Superboy brought their attention back, all the boys taking an instinctive step back as the clone turned and swung his fist wildly into the nearest tree. Zeke was entirely unable to hide a full-body flinch as a good chunk of the tree's side essentially _exploded_ under the force of Superboy's sloppy strike, sawdust, bark and wood chips quickly caught up by the wind. For a single moment, there was silence in the clearing, the only noise being the background din of rushing wind, shaking leaves, and what sounded like a small earthquake.

Then Superboy whirled around, an open scowl on his face. "You're talking about _focusing_ like we even have a plan in the first place!" the clone shouted, pointing a sawdust-covered finger at Zeke. "M'gann can't even fight and you want her to take down Twister! You call _that_ a plan?"

Zeke flinched again, taking in a slight breath as Superboy rounded on him with a level of anger that the thirteen-year-old couldn't help but feel was unnecessary. "Th-th… that…" He shook his head as he found himself unable to get the words out, quickly deciding on something else. Focusing, he stared Superboy directly in the eyes, doing his best to ignore the small part of his brain telling him this was a bad idea. [ _I didn't ask her to take Twister down, Conner!_ ]

Superboy let out a slight grunt, the other members of the team wincing slightly, as Zeke mentally shouted back at him. Compared to speaking out loud, it was far easier to speak confidently in his own head, with almost no fear over tripping over one's words. Bolstered by the other boy's reactions, Zeke continued. [ _All she's doing is distracting him because powers make her the best person on this team for that. What are you gonna do if you run out there again? Take another lightning bolt to the face?_ ]

Zeke felt a slight twinge of regret as Superboy flinched again, the younger boy guessing that the action had a lot more to do with what he had said than his method of communication. Lowering his mental voice, Zeke continued. [ _The only way we're gonna get anything done here is if we work together._ ] Nodding his head slowly, Zeke turned to glance at the rest of his team, landing on Superboy once again. [ _Okay, Conner?_ ]

The taller boy didn't give much of a sign that he accepted Zeke's words. If anything, his slightly narrowed eyes and crossed arms said the opposite but Aqualad didn't seem to care much about that, stepping forward again. "Agreed. Zeke, your plan?"

"Again, thirty percent of a plan." When Robin made a motion for him to hurry up, Zeke let out a slight sigh and decided to go for it. "Okay, I already told M'gann her part and she's doing it right now. All defense and distraction. I figured Wally could run fast in a circle and make some whirlwinds to keep Twister off balance too. For me?"

Zeke made a slight hedging noise and shrugged his shoulders, unsure of what to say. "I'm kind of tapped out right now, but I'll be good for a little in a few minutes."

"Eh, I can work with that," Wally replied, nodding in Zeke's general direction.

"And as for me?" Aqualad asked, an eyebrow raised as he took a slight step forward. "Robin? Superboy? What part do we play?"

Zeke shook his head slightly, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "Honestly, I… I don't know. I figured you three could come up with something better than I could."

"I got plenty of birdarangs left and a couple flash grenades." Robin nodded, mouth turning up into a smirk. "I'll figure something out."

"I am running low on available water but…" Aqualad frowned, obviously not as confident as the Boy Wonder, but still continued regardless, "... I will manage what I have." The two shared a look and nodded, before turning to Superboy as they waited for him to say something.

The clone's scowl deepened and he remained quiet for a few moments until...

"I can hit him."

"What?" Zeke winced as the word left his mouth rather loudly, the other boys having enough self-control not to blurt out the first thing on their lips. In a quieter voice, Zeke spoke up again. "Uh, sorry, I mean… what?"

Superboy tilted his head up slightly as he shot an annoyed look over at Zeke, jaw set hard. "I can hit Twister."

"Uh, no offense, Supey, but," Kid Flash raised a finger, "haven't you tried that? Like, a lot."

"...Yes." Superboy let out a slight grunt with the word, his crossed arms tightening as he leaned back against the damaged tree. Despite his shirt being absolutely coated with sawdust, he didn't seem to mind much.

"It didn't work then," Robin cut in. "Don't see it working now."

Superboy shook his head, obviously about to say something else when Zeke stepped up, raising a hand to ward off any outburst from the Kryptonian. "Hold up… I _think_ I have an idea." The shorter boy quirked his head upwards, staring at Superboy intently. "Trees… you can throw _trees_ at Twister!"

Superboy pulled a face, confusion written all over his expression. "Trees?"

Caught up with the idea running through his mind, Zeke just nodded his head rapidly. "Yeah, and… and Kaldur!" The young hero in question raised an eyebrow as Zeke pointed a finger at him, as if silently asking what he wanted. "You can do water blasts, right?"

It was not really a question in the operative sense, what with Zeke knowing very well that the Atlantean could do all sorts of stuff with water. Regardless, the upwards shift of his voice near the end of the statement made it far more like a question than he had intended.

"Yes, I can." The dark-skinned teen nodded as he spoke, pulling his water bearers from his back in one motion. "However, without a larger source of water, they will be lacking in strength."

"Eh," Zeke shook his head absentmindedly, chewing on his lip as he continued to think. "Doesn't really matter. As long as they're in play, y'know. Either way, with M'gann and Wally running distraction and defense, Robin with the explosives, and Superboy throwing trees to bring down Twister with heavy hits, all the bases should be covered, either way. Right?" After a moment of silence and shared looks between the other boys, Zeke's earnest smile faded ever so slightly.

"R-right?"

Kaldur nodded slowly, expression nearly as imperceptible as it usually was. "I… I believe that could work. All we can do is attempt it."

Robin and Wally smirked at Kaldur's words, glancing at each other. The redhead pulled his goggles down, smirk widening into a grin as he spoke up. "Let's do this!" With that, the speedster took off towards the sounds of a fight.

"Now, we gotta go make sure Wally doesn't do anything dumb… _again_." Robin rolled his eyes, quickly taking off after Wally's blurring form. Kaldur and Superboy began to do the same, with Kaldur in the lead, only to stop as the both of them realized that Zeke was still standing in the same place, one hand resting on a tree for support.

"Ezekiel." Kaldur's voice caught his attention, Zeke raising his head to stare into a set of questioning green eyes. "Is something wrong?"

Zeke nodded his head slowly, still feeling the drain on his health even as it slowly trickled back up. The aches and pains all over his body hadn't yet disappeared, although they had lessened somewhat. "N-not really. Just kinda… drained. Energy's kinda low. Just go on without me."

"You're sure?" Superboy grunted, the sound leaving Zeke confused as to what he meant with it.

With a muttered "Inventory", Zeke's outstretched arm disappeared up to the elbow, pulling his hand out of the invisible hole in space a moment later. "Yeah. I'll…" He gave Superboy and Kaldur a slight nod, waving them off with a hand holding a sugar-filled beverage. "I'll meet you guys in a little."

Superboy and Aqualad shared a glance before looking back at Zeke with firm expressions. Nodding at him, they quickly turned and followed in the same direction that Kid Flash and Robin had headed towards just seconds ago.

Finally alone, Zeke glanced at the can in his hands and pulled back the tab with one hand, raising it to his lips a moment later.

* * *

 **Soder-Cola Extreme!(Cherry)**

 _From the parent company WHAK, Soder-Cola Extreme is peddled as an energy drink variant of the standard Soder-Cola despite bearing no real differences other than containing more calories, sugar and caffeine. Due to being the first drink of it's type to make it big and the addictive effects of caffeine, Soder-Cola remains America's most popular soft drink despite being lacking the nutritional quality of its eternal competitor, Zesti Cola._

 **\+ 25 Mana Capacity (Non-Stackable)**

 **\+ 12 Mana Regen for 5 minutes**

* * *

It had to be said that being without mana was a novel experience for Zeke and not at all a pleasant one. He hadn't realized it before now but the feeling of mana inside him was almost like that of oxygen, the energy pooled inside him so non-intrusive that he almost didn't realize it was there when he didn't pay attention to it. When it was gone, though…

Well, that was a different story entirely.

Much like being unable to breathe due to a lack of oxygen, having no mana inside him left the thirteen-year old rather light-headed and sluggish. Having lost his balance after only a few steps just a minute or two ago, Zeke didn't really want to test how persistent that feeling of vertigo could be. Granted, it wasn't anywhere near as bad as the bone-dead exhaustion that always popped up everytime his Willpower dropped to nothing, but when you considered the fact that Zeke was damn near paralyzed when he used all his will, it wasn't saying much.

Tilting his head back, Zeke took a long pull from the can, the aluminum squealing slightly as he began to crush it in his eagerness. It took about five seconds for Zeke to empty the can, a slight shudder rolling down his back as the last drops of cherry-flavored cola hit his tongue.

He took in a sharp breath, inhaling deeply as a jolt of energy rushed through him. The can fell from his grip, clattering against the forest floor as he shook his head, eyes opening wide. Zeke stared down at his chest, blinking several times as he suddenly became aware of a soft pulsing underneath his skin that had not been there just moments ago.

The boy took in another hissing breath, hands clenching at his sides repeatedly. _Oh yeah… that's the stuff._

* * *

 **HP: 42/** **110** **[125]**

 **(+ 11 HP/min)**

 **Mana: 29/** **90** **[115]**

 **(+ 13 Mana/min)**

 **Will: 105/105**

 **(+ 6 Will/min)**

 **[Kalteen Weight Gain Bar]  
(+15 HP for 5 minutes) (Non-Stackable)  
( +10 HP regen for 5 minutes)  
(+5 Will regen for 5 minutes)**

 **[Soder Cola Extreme]**

 **(+25 Mana) (Non-Stackable)  
( +12 Mana regen for 5 minutes)**

* * *

He could feel _it_ again, the _blue._ The familiar pool of energy slowly began to trickle throughout Zeke's body, his arms and legs tingling as if they had just fallen blinked again, opening his eyes wide once more as he let out a shiver. _God,_ He shivered once more, shaking his arms out as he brought both his hands closer to his face, _it's like injecting coffee into my veins._

Face tight with concentration, Zeke held one palm upwards and stared at it. As the seconds crawled by, his palm slowly lit up with a cobalt glow as he did his best to call on his mana. Focusing the pulsing energy into his palm, the light grew brighter as the energy he held began to take on a rough spherical shape, held together by only his concentration and given form from what he last remembered of holding it. The drain on his reserves was noticeable but Zeke did his best to ignore it, knowing he would regain it back in a few short seconds.

 _So, this is a Mana Burst._ Zeke raised his right hand higher and stared at the wildly shifting ball of energy in his palm, the rough sphere glowing brighter in places as the surface shifted and bubbled wildly under his gaze, desperate for the chance to release its energy in a tightly packed explosion. _Looks cool, but it's super weak._

Zeke tilted his head as he continued staring at it, his gaze not losing the slightest modicum of intensity but instead gaining a note of curiosity. He glanced down at his other hand, eyes narrowing again. His left hand lit up with blue, an identical sphere of mana forming there in seconds as Zeke let out a grimace, redoubling his focus as he tried to keep the both of them stable.

Hazel eyes snapped back and forth between the both of them, a slight confusion taking away from the intensity of his gaze. _Now, what am I supposed to do I do with these?_

The question was one that Zeke felt had to be answered if he was going to go back out there and face Twister with the rest of the team. Going out there with nothing to bring to the fight would be just as bad as hiding in the woods until the Team beat the villain. In fact, it would probably be even worse, considering that he'd just be a liability to the rest of them.

 _Seriously, though,_ he thought to himself as he glanced down at his glowing hands, _how am I supposed to help out with these?_

* * *

 **Mana Burst Lvl Up!  
2→4**

* * *

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

"Wow… I really should have waited a little more."

It had already been a few minutes since the rest of the team had ran out to face Twister, leaving Zeke in the forest to brainstorm. Well, that _and_ slowly wait for his mana and health to recover to usable levels.

Really, coming up with an idea for what to do with his Mana Bursts had only taken him about half a minute tops. While he wasn't even sure it would even work correctly, what with several of his experiments being little more than _explosive_ failures, he at least had a general idea of what to do. Deciding to wait some more time for his health and mana to rise back up had just been an excuse to avoid heading back out.

He had managed to keep hoping in the idea that the team would somehow manage to defeat Twister before he could get back out into the fight. Cowardly as that may have been, Zeke had a good reason for trying to stall. In short, he doubted that his assistance would be of any help in turning the tables at all. Giving his team some space to do their thing just seemed like a smart idea. Really, Zeke liked to think of it as just being realistically cautious of the dangers supervillain antics posed to his well-being.

However, he couldn't exactly hold on to that tired excuse for long when Robin and Wally kept sending him mental messages asking him where he was, what was he doing, and when was he going to get back out to help them.

Even when Zeke had answered; he was in the forest, working on something to use against Twister, and that he would be right back out when his energy got to a certain level, neither of his two teammates were satisfied with his responses.

With the constant bugging from The Boy Wonder and Flash Jr, Zeke decided to just head out anyway and began running out of the woods in a full sprint, bright gold energy surrounding his legs and filling him with vibrant energy as he drew on his [Power Sprint] skill. As soon as he breached the tree line, the golden glow around his lower body vanished immediately, the boy's eyes widening in surprise

First things first, he was forced to vault over the thick trunk of a downed tree, the thing somehow lodged across two other trees in exactly the same spot Superboy had carried him through when they entered the woods. The other clues that the tree didn't belong there was the chunk of fresh soil still attached to what remained of the thing's roots, that in addition to the thick ditch the tree rested in reminding Zeke that he had recommended Superboy to hurl trees around.

In fact, it wasn't the only one of it's kind around. Zeke could make out several other thick trunks lying scattered around the field, ripped from the ground as if by the whims of some angry god. _Or an angsty demigod._ Always one to dwell on the worst, Zeke couldn't withhold a shudder as he wondered what would be left of himself after getting hit by an errant tree thrown by Superboy, of all people. _Chunky salsa, probably._

While he had hoped that his teammates would be able to beat Twister what with the Boy of Steel and Batman Jr on the team, his hopes hadn't exactly been sky-high, considering how tough Twister was. The guy could change the weather _and_ shoot lightning bolts, for god's sakes. Lightning bolts that could also explode, which really didn't make much sense in hindsight because of the fact that lightning shouldn't… well, _explode._

As odd as that part of Twister's powers was, Zeke couldn't find it in him to focus on that right now, his attention locked directly onto his teammates and their ensuing fight. _Seriously, I could have just waited a few more minutes._

The sound of rushing wind drowned out most sound, especially as far away as he was from the team, but he could still see everything well enough. The team seemed to be doing well enough against Twister from where Zeke was standing, but he didn't want to make a judgement just yet.

Kid Flash was barely visible to Zeke as a blur that flitted in and out of the villain's attacks, the speedster disappearing almost entirely to Zeke's vision as he zoomed closer to the villain in a sudden burst of speed before dashing away just as quickly, entirely avoiding several small tornadoes the villain had sent his way. A small tornado of his own began to form in the speedster's wake, the current doing its own part in keeping Twister on the back foot. The fact that Twister was struggling to do so much as touch him with one of his wind blasts told Zeke that the speedster was doing just fine.

 _Okay, just gotta make my way over there._ "Power Sprint!" With a determined shout, Zeke started to run, arms swinging by his side as he quickly made his way over to the Martian before Twister could focus his attention on him again.

* * *

 **Power Sprint Lvl Up!**

 **8→9**

* * *

M'gann stood several dozen meters away from Zeke's current position, directly facing Twister as she stood firmly against the villain's attacks. One green hand remained held above her, the outline of some sort of telekinetic shield visible as Twister's whirlwinds impacted against it. With her other hand, she seemed to be directing a hail of rocks and dirt at the strafing villain, the volley not doing much more than distracting the robot. Well, that and dirtying his chassis.

Behind M'gann were several wide pillars of compacted dirt and rock, not much taller than the girl's waist height. Judging by the masses of dirt clustered around them and the various gaping pits in the ground where there were no longer any grass, it was obvious to Zeke that M'gann had done some serious landscaping.

 _Those things over there…_ He shot a frown over at the pillars as he ran towards them, eyes narrowing as he raised his arms over his face to protect himself from the wind that managed to reach him even this far. _What are those even f-_

The question died in his head as Zeke spotted Robin rise from a crouch behind one of the walls and dart to another one, scant moments before a blast of air larger than he was slammed into the wall he had just hid behind, scattering it. The Boy Wonder's mouth opened, shouting something at M'gann that was quickly drowned out by the gale-force winds. He seemed to realize the pointlessness of that, shaking his head before shooting a focused glance at M'gann. His mental communication didn't go unnoticed as M'gann nodded back, turning back to face Twister with a frown.

Hurling himself forward, Zeke dived behind an open pillar the moment Robin hurled a series of birdarangs at Twister, M'gann catching the projectiles in her telekinesis and sending them up with the rest of her volley.

[ _Zeke!_ ] Robin's voice rang out in his head, the other thirteen year old glancing over at him with a slight smile on his face. [ _Finally! We've been wondering where you were… again._ ]

[ _Yeah, you were super vague.]_ Wally chimed in, a slightly strained tone present in the speedster's mental voice. [ _Kinda thought you ran, to be honest._ ]

The boy in the blue and white jumpsuit frowned, wincing at Wally and Robin's words before shaking his head. [ _Sorry about that. I had to heal up. Didn't want to risk it._ ] Zeke raised his eyebrows a moment later, glancing around the field in search of a familiar red shield. [ _Hey, where's Superboy?_ ] Realizing that he wasn't the only one missing, he quickly added as an afterthought, [ _And Kaldur too?_ ]

[ _The tree thing didn't really work out_ ,] Wally responded, strain still present in his voice. [ _so Kaldur and Supey are trying something else out._ ]

Zeke blinked. [ _But… where'd they go?_ ]

[ _Not important right now.]_ Robin sniped, tossing another set of birdarangs at the robot. [ _Focus on the robot._ ]

Zeke couldn't help but disagree, his mouth falling open slightly as he let out a confused splutter. [ _Not important? They're two of the toughest guys on the team! How's that not important?_ ]

Robin shot him a look that Zeke couldn't quite decipher due to the sunglasses, but he had an unexplainable feeling that the Boy Wonder was rolling his eyes at him. Shaking his head, Robin turned back to face Twister, hurling something over the pillar with a slight grunt. Several small and black spheres flew from Robin's hand, the objects gaining speed and height as they shot on a direct path to Twister.

Caught up in M'gann's telekinesis along with an incredible amount of small rocks, the pellets detonated in a powerful explosion, turning the stones into buckshot and obscuring Twister in a powerful smokescreen.

"Holy…" Zeke's eyes widened, surprise etched on his face as he turned to face Robin. [ _Do you think that did it?_ ]

Robin shook his head, not even bothering to turn to look at Zeke.

The Boy Wonder was proven right as the dust cleared moments later, Zeke's hopes falling as he spotted Twister hanging in the air, far lower than he had been previously but relatively unharmed. The slightest of dents were visible on the villain's armor-plated form, somewhat hidden by the large amount of dirt that M'gann had put serious effort into layering on him. The red and black portions of his body were almost impossible to make out over the carpet of brown, though, leaving his color scheme looking radically different and muted compared to the bright colors he sported just minutes ago.

"I. Have. Had. **ENOUGH!** " Letting out a synthesized scream of frustration, Twister thrust his oversized hands out to his sides, a burst of wind shooting from him in an omnidirectional wave. The dust and soot coating his chassis was immediately sent flying away from the sheer force of the wind, leaving Twister somewhat clean but showing far more damage than he was before with parts of his chest plating heavily dented. "I tire of your unending interruptions! No fight is worth this!"

The aerokinetic raised his hands in the air again as he began to ascend, the clouds slowly beginning to darken above him.

"You children are a distraction I can no longer tolerate!"

 _No. No. No._ Zeke's eyes widened once more, the boy pulling himself up to his feet and backpedaling away from Twister as the wind began to pick up again, whirlwinds disappearing to be replaced by a wide-range stream of roaring wind. _Not this. Not again._ [ _Robin! Wally! M'gann!_ ]

[ _What?_ ], three mental voices responded in unison, the surround sound experience causing Zeke to flinch slightly, the boy stepping back out of surprise as opposed to any pain.

[ _Twister!_ ] Zeke replied, the single word popping into his head before anything else.

[ _Really?]_ Kid Flash retorted, appearing by Robin's side in a blur. [ _No shit, Sherlock._ ]

[ _i mean,_ ] he began again, shooting Kid Flash a glare. [ _He's gonna drop another lightning bolt on us!_ ]

[ _Again,_ ] Kid Flash shot back, already backpedaling away from the pillars M'gann had created as shelter from Twister's winds, Robin fast on his heels and M'gann following from behind still keeping her barrier steady. [ _We can see that. Got any real news for us, or are we just gonna get a play-by-play of the action?_

Robin shot Kid Flash a warning look as Zeke's expression soured further before glancing back at Zeke. [ _Look, Zeke, we've been waiting for you because we needed something to distract Twister with. Superboy and Aqualad are busy working on something but they need a clear shot. I'm out of flashbangs and explosives and M'gann's got her own thing going on_ ]

The other young teen blinked, unsure of how to respond. After a few moments, he finally responded with, [ _What do you mean by distract?_ ]

[ _Something big, something bright, something loud. Doesn't really matter. Any ideas?_ ]

Miss Martian finally turned to face them, shooting the three boys a worried look. [ _I don't have anything like that. All I can do is try and keep a barrier up right now until Superboy and Aqualad come back with something I can use._ ]

Zeke didn't say anything, hands at his sides as he slowly began to form a set of mana bursts. He faced his teammates and shook his head. [ _I don't think I can hit all three but I maybe kinda sorta have an idea. It's a long shot, though._ ]

[ _What?_ ] Kid Flash came to a quick halt, jerking his head to the side to glance at Zeke. [ _Why is that a problem? Just do it already!_ ]

Without saying another word, Zeke just nodded in response to Robin's words and held out both of his arms in front of him, both Robin and Kid Flash's mouths opening slightly as they caught sight of what he held.

Zeke assumed Miss Martian would have done the same if her back wasn't turned to the three of them, utterly focused on maintaining her telekinetic barrier at the expense of all else. Regardless, they were certainly a sight, the twin spheres of mana as unstable as they were bright in his hands. Shaking his head as he stared up at Mister Twister, Zeke found himself frowning again, his teeth gritted in concentration. _This better work._

His attention focused on nothing but the volatile sources of energy in his hands, Zeke let out a breath through his nose and quickly brought both his palms together, nearly slamming them into one another. The second the both of the spheres came into contact, Zeke let out a slight grunt and jerked as his arms began to shudder violently.

 _Come on. Hold it. Hold it._ Just like the last few times he had tried to do… _whatever this was_ , he was forced in a struggle with what was literally his own energy, the spheres refusing to merge like he wanted them to.

Zeke glanced up once more, the rumbling in the sky drawing his attention away from his current task for a moment. Lightning began to crackle amidst the slowly encroaching clouds, Twister's hands still raised up as he prepared to conduct the finished product downwards.

 _Come on. Come on._

 **Mana Burst Lvl Up!  
4→5**

 **Awareness: Mana Lvl Up!**

 **14→15**

His palms slowly inched closer together, the pressure in his hands progressively easing until Zeke's eyes widened as he finally found himself cupping the energy within both hands. What looked like gouts of jagged blue flame seemed to be bursting from the gaps between Zeke's fingers, likely to burn something if it had any actual heat to it.

Luckily for Zeke, it didn't burn nearly that hot, feeling roughly the same temperature as his own skin as he held the volatile ball n balloon between his palms. Fiery or not, he couldn't deny that it looked _awesome._

A smile spread on the young sidekick's face, the expression widening as he glanced up at Twister once more and raised his hands. Before he could release the prepared blast, though, another set of familiar blue lettering appeared in his field of vision.

* * *

 **Special Skill Creation Failed!**

* * *

 _What? No!_ Zeke's jaw opened slightly, his eyes widening as he tried to understand why this wasn't working. Unlike the last few times when these exact words had appeared in front of him, he had finally managed to bring the two spheres together without both of them exploding apart in his hands. _This doesn't make sense!_ _I have it under c- oh, no._

 _No. Not again, come on!_ Zeke grimaced as his hands began to shake again, the trembling spreading all the way to his upper arms as he struggled to hold his hands up towards Twister. _I gotta do this now!_ Teeth gritted, Zeke opened his palms like the mouth of a clam and released the volatile ball of energy with a loud scream of "HAAAA!"

A roiling ball of blue energy shot from his palms like a cannonball, tearing through the sky on a direct path to Twister with a noise like a mixture of rushing wind and an oddly low-pitched keening sound.

* * *

 **Mana Burst Lvl Up!**

 **5→6**

* * *

Twister moved to lower his hands, the clouds quickly losing the spark of lightning as he did so. Even still, the robot wasn't fast enough to block Zeke's attack. The basketball-sized blast struck the villain directly in the face, detonating in a bright flash of cobalt light that almost hurt to look at but still brought a smile to Zeke's face.

The audible shout from Twister was music to his ears, the sight of the robot's head actually jerking backwards from the force of the hit even more exciting. The excitement didn't last all that long, though, Zeke's smile fading almost immediately as Twister turned to face _him._

 **" _You._ "** The amount of annoyance the android managed to lace into a single word was impressive, leaving Zeke with a pit in his stomach as he realized he was now under personal scrutiny from this bad guy for the second time. **" _Yet again, you've personally managed to annoy me solely by how ineffectual you've proven to be._ "**

 _You know, for a highly advanced technological feat of engineering, he sure talks like he belongs in the 18th century,_ Zeke couldn't help but muse to himself, the traitorous thought actually bringing a slight smile to his face even as his heart fell into his stomach. _Why would anyone even program that?_

 **"Consider this... "** A burst of lightning, much smaller than the ones Twister had summoned previously, crackled in the dark cloud above the android's head. Twister raised his hand again and below, four pairs of eyes widened in unison. **"...a final lesson."**

 _Son of a..._ Zeke shook his head furiously, thrusting his own hand in the air to match the aerokinetic. _This is really gonna suck!_

"Mana Sh-"

The boy's shout was interrupted by another, a loud and guttural grunt that seemed to echo across the plain. His eyes widened, accompanied by a full-body flinch. _What the-_

Before Zeke could even finish the thought, the sound of a thunderous impact followed by tearing and screeching metal forced itself into his eardrums, Twister's voice joining into the din as the villain let out a furious scream.

 **"MY ARM!"**

 _His arm?_ Zeke's eyes shot up, widening even further as he saw the mess that was once Twister's right side rendered into nothing but sparking metal and a flailing blue tube expelling some viscous, similarly-colored liquid. _His arm! What… How… Wait! Can he feel pain? Why would anyone even program that? That's like a massive design flaw in a rob-_

Zeke shook his head as he found himself going down another tangent. _How did he even lose his-_

[ _M'gann, send it back!_ ] Robin's voice rang out once again in his head, interrupting Zeke's train of thought and forcing him to tear his attention away from Twister as the android shook unsteadily in the air, suddenly quiet even with his massive injury. [ _Send it back at him now!]_

Zeke shot Robin a glance, confusion clear on his face. [ _Send what?_ ]

Robin smirked, the expression looking just as devious as the Boy Wonder probably expected it to be. The boy in sunglasses pointed up in the air, his arm at an angle rather far from where Twister hung in the air. [ _That._ ]

Zeke followed Robin's arm and found himself taking a step back, his mouth opening slightly as he stared at something else hanging in the air other than Twister. _A tree?_

A tree, it was.

The thing hung in the air imposingly; long, thick, all of it's branches stripped off and one end sharpened to an intimidatingly deadly point with several mechanical bits hanging off of it. At one point, it was probably a newly maturing tree with centuries of life ahead of it.

At one point.

Now, though, it was nothing but a weapon held up in the air by a telekinetic, green-skinned teenage girl. Zeke gulped unconsciously at the sight in front of him, taking another step back as M'gann stepped forward with both hands raised. _Where did that thing even come from?_

[ _Take him down, M'gann!_ ] Wally's voice cut in, his excitement as obvious as if he had shouted the words at the top of his lungs.

Zeke glanced over at Robin quickly, a question on his face and on his mind. [ _Where did_ _ **that**_ _come from?_ ]

Robin tilted his head slightly, a smirk still on his face. [ _I told you. Aqualad and Superboy were busy._ ]

Twister struggled to regain his balance in mid-air, his propulsion abilities obviously shot with one arm being entirely gone, and M'gann stepped forward to face Twister as the three boys watched her. Back straight, she brought her fingers together into two fists and, with a grunt of effort, the Martian brought her hands down.

The tree hurled itself through the sky point-first, the air actually displacing around it as it flew directly towards the robot. "No!" Twister, in an act of self-preservation, shot a blast of wind from his remaining hand to propel himself away. "No! I will not be defeated by children!"

He wasn't fast enough.

The sound from before repeated itself, a dull impact immediately followed by the screech of tearing metal as the tree trunk wrenched Twister's leg from his body. The limb fell to the ground several dozen meters away followed by the tree itself, a new ditch formed in seconds as it tore through the grassland.

Before Twister could even react to his second missing limb, what looked like a long blue rope lashed around the villain's mid-section, a vicious tug on the oddly flowing cord pulling Twister closer to the ground.

Zeke blinked, taking a step back out of shock. [ _Kaldur?_ ]

The Atlantean didn't bother responding to the boy as he held on tightly to the water construct in his grip, his muscles bulging as the tattoos on his arm glowed bright. "Superboy!" Aqualad screamed with a grunt, eyes close as he desperately held on to the water whip in his hands. "Now!"

With a roar, the tall teenager burst from the tree line out of nowhere, hurtling through the air on a direct arc towards Twister. He collided into Twister with a thunderous noise, Superboy's fist ripping through the villain's chassis without much trouble as he landed blow after blow on him with one hand, the other gripping tightly to the android.

"Are you kidding m-"

The water rope dissolved, falling from Twister's body into mundane water once more as Superboy drove his hand through his neck, forcing the robot's words to cut away into a drone of static and sparks.

Zeke could only blink, mouth falling open again. _Holy…_

Letting out another guttural roar, Superboy slammed a fist directly into the android's head, the strike sending the body part airborne with another ungodly screech of metal. Without pause, he followed the first with another heavy handed blow directly to what remained of Twister's chestplate, knocking more parts off of him. Superboy's other hand dug into the robot's shoulder and the clone jerked his arms, sending the broken robot on a direct path to the ground, trailing smoke, sparks and blue liquid as he fell.

Twister slammed down with a thunderous crash, metallic body battered and unmoving. For a moment, none of them said anything, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop.

That other shoe came in the form of Superboy as the clone hit the ground feet first, a small crater forming around him while the ground shook to announce his landing. Pulling himself up to his full height, Superboy rolled his shoulders, muscles prominently on display as he shot the team an actual smile.

"I think we're done here."

 **\+ 750 XP**

* * *

 **Mission Success!**

 **Mission "A Rude Windstorm** " **Completed**  
\+ 1250 XP

\+ 5 Stat Points

\+ 4 Resistance: Blunt Force

\+ 1 VIT

* * *

 **Level Up x 3!**

 **You are now Level 4.  
\+ 6 Stat Points.**

 **VItality Trait Lost: Malnutrition**

 **Strength Perk Gained: Hard Hitter (Note for Zino: This is a perk to add 25% knockback to all unarmed strikes)**

 **Speed Perk Gained: Reactive Reflexes**

 **VItality Perk Gained: Quick Healing**

* * *

 _Yes. Yes._ Zeke fought the urge to shudder as he felt a tingle pass through his body, a general sense of weakness he hadn't even noticed fading as he continued to stand there. Something… He didn't know what but _something_ seemed to be filling his muscles, almost revitalizing them with every single breath that passed through his lungs. He blinked back up at the words, unable to hide the smile on his face as he saw the words 'Malnutrition' fade before his eyes. _All my yes._

"Yeah, Superboy's right." He nodded slowly, taking one step closer to Superboy as the clone cracked his knuckles and surveyed his handiwork in Twister's smoking form. "We're definitely done here."

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

To Zeke's chagrin, they were definitely _not_ done there.

After Aqualad and Robin had conferred with Red Tornado, basically describing everything that had gone down with as much clinical detachment he expected from someone like Aqualad and Batman's partner, their robotic den mother had instructed them to recover Twister's remains and bring them to the cave for analysis and archiving.

The problem was, thanks to the _vigorous_ methods applied in defeating Twister, he wasn't exactly in one neat and tidy piece for them to just pick up. In short, searching through the forest and combing through grass in search of robot body parts for the better part of two hours was not Zeke's idea of a fun time.

After they finished and Wally had picked up one of Twister's fingers as a souvenir, M'gann did the brunt of the work with her telekinesis and lifted all of Twister's remains and loaded them onto her ship.

An hour or so later, Zeke found himself lying on a rather long couch in the cave's living room, doing nothing but nursing a bottle of water as he stared at the television screen in front of him with a dull expression on his face.

Superboy sat at the end of the couch, inches away from Zeke's bare feet, arms crossed as he stared at the screen as well. It was odd how focused the clone was in the show, really. Even the credits seemed to hold his attention, but then again, Zeke assumed that he hadn't had much experience to television or popular culture, in general.

As the episode came to an end, Zeke put the volume on the tv down with one hand holding the remote and turned to Superboy. "So, Big Guy, you liking the show so far?"

"No," The clone looked over at Zeke, turning his whole body as he stared down at the smaller boy.

"Oh", Zeke blinked. "Uh, so… you wanna try something else, then?"

"No. I want to know something first."

 _What now?_ Despite his disinclination at being the focus of Superboy's ire, Zeke chose to stare back up at the taller boy. "If it's about the show's plot," Zeke began, raising his palms, "I really can't explain it better than the title. Digital Monst-"

"No." Superboy cut in again, unfolding his arms. "It's not about the show."

"Okay… well, uh, if It's not about the show," Zeke cut back in, tapping his finger on the remote, "can't it wait? I can't exactly pause this and I really want to see how it's different from what I remember." At this, Superboy shot him a look, really not doing much more than narrowing his eyes at the younger boy.

Regardless, Zeke got the hint and quickly shut his mouth.

For several long moments, Zeke found himself being stared down by Superboy for several long moments, the silence starting to get to him before the half-Kryptonian spoke up again. "...Why do you keep calling me Conner?"

 _What?_ Zeke's face turned down into a frown for a quick instant as he heard the question before his eyes slowly began to widen. " _Oh._ I…" He gave a slight shake of his head, unsure where to begin. _Seriously, I don't even know what I'm supposed to say to that. How do I explain to someone what their name is?_

Glancing back up at Superboy, the smaller boy couldn't help but ask, "No offense, but are you gonna try and hit me again? 'Cause last time I brought this up, you weren't all that happy to have this conversation."

Superboy didn't say anything in return. To be honest, he didn't really need to. The impressive glower got his message across just fine.

Zeke flinched, letting out a slight hum as he tried to decode what that glare could possibly mean for his well-being. _Just say something. If he lunges, you run and scream for M'gann like your life depends on it._ Taking in another breath, Zeke opened his mouth.

"No problem. Here's me talking," he added the last few words in an undertone, murmuring them more than anything else.

"Okay, I don't know if anyone told you but I'm not from _here_." He pulled a face as he gave Superboy a bit of a shrug. "Like, I'm not from this… _universe,_ right? So, seeing as I'm from a different universe with a different Earth and all that, there's bound to be different people too, right?"

Superboy nodded slowly, waiting patiently for Zeke to continue.

"So, there are different versions of tons of people. Like, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, you name it." Zeke paused, scratching the back of his neck as he prepared to continue on to the part he suspected Superboy might have a problem with. "Basically, there was a hero in my universe named Superboy that looked just like you, same shirt and everything."

Superboy glanced down at his black and red shirt, a hand absentmindedly pawing at the shield on his torso even as he raised his head back up. He continued to stare at Zeke, the smaller boy taking that as his cue to keep talking.

"Ok, and, uh… well, that Superboy was named Conner. Conner _Kent._ " The emphasis on the last word was purposeful, Zeke trying to see whether he crossed any sort of line with mentioning anything related to Superman's secret identity. When Superboy just blinked at him, Zeke blinked back in slight confusion, wondering what that meant. _So, either he doesn't know Superman's secret identity or he knows_ _ **but**_ _he doesn't care that I know it?_

Zeke blinked again, shaking his head as he did so. _Either way, it's weird._ "Anyway, uh, yeah, Conner was his Earth name and his Kryptonian name was Kon-El." He let out a sigh as he finished speaking, wondering if Superboy would accept that much. "That answer your question?"

Superboy nodded silently. The silence between them held for a few more seconds until Superboy broke it again. "...What was he like?"

Zeke held back a groan, glancing back over at Superboy as he asked him a question. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"The me you knew." Superboy fixed him with an intense stare, blue eyes piercing into hazel. "What was he like?"

 _Cheese and rice._ Holding back a sigh, Zeke sat up and faced Superboy, trying to figure out the best way to word what was on his mind. "Well… I didn't exactly _know_ him, per se. At best, I knew of him. You could say that I was somewhat of a fan of his."

The slightest hint of confusion crossed Superboy's features. "You hugged me when you first saw me."

"Yeah, that… that was a thing, wasn't it?" Zeke grimaced, nodding slightly in acceptance of Superboy's point. "I was something of a big fan of Superboy, yeah. I had shirts, shoes, hoodies, hats, backpacks, pins…" _Note to self: Hook this Superboy up with a merchandising manager or something._

"Yeah, anyway, Superb…" Zeke paused, glancing over at the Superboy in front of him for a moment before shaking his head. " _Conner_ was a big hero and I think a _lot_ of people loved him for it. Not just me. Sure, he wasn't as well known as Superman but he was still super popular." He stared up at the half-Kryptonian as he finished. "That answer your question, Supey? Supey?"

Zeke blinked as he watched the clone, Superboy seemingly lost in thought as he stared off into space. As Zeke continued to look on, the dour expression on Superboy's face shifted upwards slightly and Superboy spoke up, at first just muttering to himself.

"...Kon-El. Konel, Kon-er, Connor, Conner. _Conner…_ heh." Zeke blinked as Superboy actually smiled, the sides of his mouth curving upwards in earnest as he repeated the name for the third time. "Conner… I like it."

"That's… that's good." Zeke blinked again, nodding along dumbly as he realized something very important. _Holy crap on a cracker, I just named Superboy._ Shaking his head, he brought his attention back to the situation in front of him, glancing over in the direction Robin, Kid Flash Miss Martian and Aqualad had headed down, all of them having expressed interest in hitting the showers. "So… you want to get back to Digimon or you wanna see what else is on?"

Conner was quiet again for a few seconds.

"Digimon…" He shifted in his seat, a slight smile on his face as he turned back to face the TV. "I like Matt."

"...Same here." A similar smile grew on Zeke's face as he pressed the topmost volume button on the remote, the theme song filling the room again. _This is nice._

Really, there was so much more to do and so much more on his mind, things relating to who Twister actually was or why someone would build an aerokinetic robot and just set them loose to fight the Justice League or, more importantly, why his attempts to _make_ a new skill kept failing when he could do it just fine on accident.

The boy shrugged and settled deeper back against the couch in a position that should have been uncomfortable but somehow wasn't, deciding to let those questions settle for now. After all, it wasn't like he didn't have tomorrow to figure out at least the last question, right?

Glancing over at Superboy, Zeke nodded to himself. _Yeah, that's a problem for tomorrow._

* * *

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **Ezekiel Patrick Armstrong**

 **Title:** None

 **Level 4**

 **XP:** 275/1500

 **Age:** 13

 **HP:** 410/410

 **MP:** 110/110

 **Will:** 128

 **STR:** 25

 **SPD:** 31

 **VIT:** 27

 **INT:** 19

 **WIS:** 9

 **CHA:** 11

 **Stat Points:** 13

 **Cash:** $375

* * *

 **Traits**

 **Bright Kid:** While you're no genius or some prodigy, you're obviously brighter than most kids. By the time you're an adult, however, no one will care. **(Before the age of 18: +75% to INT gain and +25% to speed of learning Mana-based skills/abilities)**

 **Mana Backlash (Minor)**  
 _Why can't I hold all this mana?_  
Severe overuse of your existing reserves has hampered your spiritual control, temporarily damaging your ability to restore and control your mana.  
 **Base Mana Recovery restricted by 50%  
Mana Awareness restricted by 50%**  
 **Length:** 25 Hours

* * *

 **Perks**

 **Hard Hitter**  
 _Bare knuckle boxer._  
All unarmed strikes deliver 25% more knockback force but no additional damage.  
 **  
 **Quick Healer****  
 _Don't worry, it won't scar._  
You heal rather fast, at a rate of a tenth of your VIT every fifteen seconds.

 **Reactive Reflexes**  
 _Gotta be quicker than that._  
When attempting to dodge an attack, your reflexes ability is 10% more effective.

* * *

 **Skills**

 **Mana Burst Lv 6**  
 _Pew-pew! Pew-pew-pew!_  
A hastily-formed burst of energy with an unspecified nature.  
 **Max Damage:** 10% of INT x Skill Level  
 **Minimum Cost:** 5 Mana

 **Mana Shield Lv 1**  
 _Shields at 20% and holding!_  
A protective construct formed from the desire for protection and made from an energy of an unspecified nature. Drains 1 MP for every point of damage blocked. Shatters if more than 20% of MP is drained by a single blow. Ignores damage up to 1% of INT x VIT x Skill Level.  
 **Minimum Cost:** 5 Mana

 **Observe Lv. 9**  
 _Kinda like a scouter, but less cool somehow._  
Allows you to view the status or qualities of anyone or anything, allowing you to learn information about them.  
 **Cost:** 1 MP

 **Power Sprint Lv 9**  
 _You'll never be the Flash relying on this alone. Still, we've all gotta start somewhere._  
While active, your running speed increases by 5% per level. **(45%)**  
 **Cost:** 1 Will/s

 **Power Strike Lv 3**  
 _Not exactly a heavy hitter quite yet._  
Increases the STR value and knockback of your physical strikes by 10% per level. **(30%)**  
 **Cost:** 5 Will

* * *

 **Abilities**

 **Gamer's Body Lv MAX**  
 _Allows your body to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character._  
Sleeping restores HP, MP, Will and removes most negative status effects. Health, Will, and Mana regenerate at a base of 1 point every 30 seconds. Food and drink items can accelerate recovery.

 **Gamer's Mind Lv MAX**  
 _Allows your mind to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character._  
Grants immunity to mental status effects, emotional trauma and severely damaging emotional states. Grants immunity to forceful/unwanted mental intrusion.

 **Acrobatics Lv 1**  
 _Basically a flip kick, but without the kick part._  
An ability that enables you to pull off backflips, frontflips and any manner of jumping-based ground-movement technique with greater ease.

 **Awareness: Mana Lv 15**  
 _Mana, magic energy, magicka, prana, ether, spirit energy, magatsuhi or even chakra… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end._  
You have gained awareness of Mana, the spiritual energy found within the human mind and soul. Gaining awareness of your magical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.

 **Awareness: **Willpower** Lv 5**  
 _Willpower, ki, chi, qi, stamina, aura, mantra, physical energy, life energy, od, or even hamon… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end._  
You have gained awareness of your Willpower, the physical energy found within all living organisms. Gaining awareness of your physical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.

 **Basic Martial Arts Lv 3**  
 _Heroes prefer fists. Apparently, so do sidekicks._  
This ability measures your skill and intuition in bare-handed combat, allowing for rapid growth and adaptation in martial arts.

 **Breathing Control Lv 7**  
 _Batman can breathe in space. Why can't you?_  
The ability to use oxygen efficiently, enabling you to hold your breath for extended periods of time. Increases by 1 minute every level. **(7 minutes)**

 **Meditation Lv 5**  
 _When the mind is enlightened, the spirit is freed and the body matters not._  
The ability to train your mind in order to achieve a state of oneness with your spiritual essence and life force, as well your mind and body.

 **Reflexes Lv 2**  
 _DODGE!_  
Decreases innate reaction time by 10% per level. **(20%)**

 **Resistance: Blunt Force Lv 13**  
 _A little pain never hurt anyone._  
Reduce all blunt force damage from attacks less than 100% of your health. Increases 1% by level. **(13%)**

 ** **Resistance: Electricity Lv 5****  
 _Harmless Electrocution._  
Reduce all electrical damage from attacks less than 100% of your health.  
Increases 2% by level. ****(10%)****


	13. Emergence 2-1

**I'd like to thank all those who pledged to me on P a treon.**

 **Jack, Alec, Zach Collins, Ryan, Lazysailor, Lyte, Jaden Wimbley, Whalehunter, José Armando Gutiérrez HernándezBinary Giant, e-addict, Erik Mickiewicz, James Carl Henderson, Liam O' Neil, Mathieu Martineau, Sackthanaban Kounlavong, Cedron Spaulding, Silver W. King, TM, Chris, zdront, Door, Jonathan, Carl Mahon, NexusClown, Brandon Dayne Baugh, AntaeusTheGiant and Sartek. And of course, I can't go without mentioning Segev, who does a great job of Beta as well.**

 **Thanks to my other Betas. Kenmadragon, Dasstan, and the Fanciest of Molasses. Seriously, I appreciate all of you guys for your help and I want to make sure you know that.**

* * *

 **Reader Response**

 **Jrocker105:** _Thank you for the compliment. I appreciate it._

 **BasicShintoDeity:** _I understand that you're a bit disgruntled with the slow pace at least in regards to power progression, but I've never been a fan of OP characters a few chapters in. This DC Universe is relatively low-level and I don't want to disrupt that balance literally in the first few weeks and make the team irrelevant._

 **Guest:** _I have **read** With This Ring, yes. However, I don't want to go along that same path. I appreciate the compliment, though._

 **Bob:** _I understand what you mean. Mana Burst seems weak as a starting skill but it's literally one that grows with him. As his INT grows and he continues to invest in it, he gets more out of it._

 **Doctor Doofenschmirtz:** _He's thirteen. Most importantly, me at thirteen. I remember how I was at thirteen. Besides, what's wrong with taking a moment to chill with a teammate after going through a life and death situation. Either way, there was no real way to use his powers properly when he really doesn't have much to use against Twister in the first place._

* * *

 **Emergence 2.1**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **MOUNT JUSTICE  
July 20, 1:16 EDT**

"Alright," Zeke began, a slight frown on his face.

Bright light shined around him, the circular platform he stood on illuminating him from below as he shifted his position into a pose. One hand was held out in from of his chest, palm facing outward and fingers splayed, while the other was held close to his chest, tightened into a fist. As hazel eyes narrowed on the figure in front of him, the thirteen-year old slowly nodded his head.

"Hit me."

Not even giving the other boy so much as a nod to acknowledge his words, Superboy took a few steps forward, crossing four meters in half as many seconds with a lazy stride, and _swung._

* * *

- _100_

 **48 Damage Negated**

* * *

With the sound of a window shattering into a hundred pieces, Zeke's shield exploded inwards as Superboy's slow-moving palm plowed through it without pause. The creator of the shield stumbled back, hands flying up to guard his head as that same open palm came to a stop directly in front of his face. Quickly realizing what he was doing, Zeke caught himself a moment later and dropped his hands back down to his sides, the young teen shooting Superboy a slightly nervous grin as blue motes of mana blew around the both of them, the sparkles of light fading away to nothing in mere seconds.

* * *

 **Mana Shield Lvl Up!  
5→6**

* * *

"Heh, _wow_ … that was a good one. Thanks, Supey." Zeke couldn't help but shake his hands out as he spoke, unable to stand still with the slightly numb feeling he could feel making its way up his arms. While there was no pain from using his Mana Shield to block a hit, the side effect did make itself known. Every single time his mana was drained to near nothing, the same sensation made itself known in the most annoying way, drawing Zeke's attention to it.

Although, considering that the two of them had been at this for a while, the feeling was not one he was unfamiliar with at this point.

"It's fine." Pulling back his fist, Superboy folded his arms and stared down at Zeke with his usual disgruntled expression, a single eyebrow raised as if asking a question.

"Oh, yeah… _that,_ " The last word left Zeke's mouth with a slight gulp, a hint of nervousness audible as he nodded his head and continued with, "Yeah, we still gotta do it."

"I'm ready." Superboy nodded, unfolding his arms before he took several small steps away from Zeke, leaving about a few feet of distance between the two of them as the smaller boy remained in the center of the circle. "Are you?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Zeke didn't bother muttering the words, instead choosing to say them in his regular tone of voice. After all, with Superboy's hearing, there was effectively no difference. Zeke shook his head, frowning slightly as he prepared himself for what would likely be another painful lesson. "Alright, then."

The shorter boy tightened his hands into fists, holding them down at his sides as he stared back at Superboy. Letting out a sharp breath of air, he nodded at Superboy with a determined expression on his face. "Hit me."

The clone's movement was just as slow as before, moving at little more than four miles an hour as he stepped forward again. To Zeke, he might as well have been barreling forward like a professional football player. As he neared the smaller boy, Superboy raised his arm and swung it forward.

His closed fist met Zeke's unguarded chest with a casualness that belied the force behind it, superhuman knuckles brushing up against smart fabric with little more than a tap. Regardless, it might as well not have even mattered as the shorter boy let out a wheezing gasp of air, eyes widening yet again as Superboy's strike knocked him off his feet for the fifth time today.

* * *

 **-245**

 **-2**

* * *

 **\+ 1 VIT**

 **Resistance: Blunt Force Lvl Up!  
17→18**

* * *

From his prone position on the ground, Zeke let out another pained groan as he stared up at the odd metal protrusion that hung from the cave ceiling. "Cheese… and rice, _that_ _still_ _hurts_ ," he mumbled to himself, eyes half open. Part of him could swear that he could feel something moving around inside him, possibly a rib knocked loose by Superboy's monster of a punch, but the more rational part of him knew that if that was true, he'd be in a great deal more pain than he currently was. _Health, please?_

* * *

 **Health: 215/460**

* * *

 _Oh, that's just terrifying._

With another grunt, the boy pulled himself up into a sitting position and cast a glance up at Superboy, the boy in the black shirt just looking back down at him with an imperceptible expression. "Yeah, we need to really work on your control, man," Zeke shook his head slowly, pulling himself to his feet. Taking in another wheezing breath, he bent over at the waist, resting both hands on his thighs. "Seriously," he said with a cough, "even the weakest hitsfrom you are like that… _yeesh._ "

This had been the tenth time they had tried this same stunt in in the last few hours. Superboy was trying his hardest to minimize his strength when it came to striking objects, simply to get better control, while Zeke tried to train his defenses, both active and passive. In addition to yesterday's workout **(+3 STR, + 1 SPD, + 2 Mana Bolt, + 1 Power Sprint, + 2 Power Strike)** , some serious progress had been made today… _painful_ , _painful_ progress, but progress nonetheless **(+4 VIT, +4 Mana Shield, + 4 Resistance: Blunt Force)**.

As the bearer of one hundred percent of all that pain, Zeke had already gone over the stupidity of starting with Superboy as a training partner. Even now as he gasped for breath, his chest still aching from Superboy's punch, he couldn't help but regret that he hadn't asked M'gann to join him instead. _I might as well have jumped out into traffic, honestly. Getting hit by a truck would probably hurt less, anyway._

There was silence for a few seconds as Zeke continued to wheeze, his health slowly trickling back up, before Superboy took an audible breath of his own and asked, "Are you... okay?"

Zeke glanced up to see the dour expression of the newly named Conner Kent staring back down at him, looking not even the slightest bit concerned for his condition. The sheer contrast was too much for Zeke to take and he could only respond to the grunted question from Superboy with a muffled snort.

Catching his breath after a few moments of wheezing laughter, Zeke stood up to his full height which… wasn't all that much, really, especially when compared to Superboy. Rolling his shoulders, he shook his head at Superboy, a smile still on his face. "I mean, I'mokay _now,_ but like two days ago, I'm pretty sure a hit like that would have killed me like… I dunno, twice over."

"Oh…" Superboy raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

" _Yeah,_ " Zeke laughed again, wheezing slightly as he tried to catch his breath. "Conner, I don't know if you know this but you hit _super_ hard."

A small smile popped up on Superboy's face at his words, exactly as Zeke expected, the smaller boy's own smile widening just a little more at the sight of it.

Despite how taciturn the clone may have seemed most of the time, it really didn't take much to get Conner to smile, really. As long as you knew what buttons to push, it was really pretty easy, all things considered. Bringing up just how much he looked like Superman often lightened his mood slightly, much the same as how talking about how cool his shirt was. Often, all Zeke would need to do was slip the word 'super' in a sentence when speaking to him and the clone would brighten.

Either way, the smile from Superboy was enough for him to claim it as a win. After all, feeding the Boy of Steel a compliment every now and again to make the half-Kryptonian like him more wasn't gonna hurt anyone.

"I mean, you're doing a lot better at pulling your punches but dude, that arm is still a lethal weapon," Zeke continued, only partially joking as he rubbed his chest. The expression on the clone's face grew somewhat, the half-smile evolving into a proud smirk as he clenched his fists confidently.

Conner shot him an appreciative glance, folding his arms over his chest. "Thanks. I'll work on it."

"No problem, big guy." Zeke gave himself an internal high-five as he beamed up at a still-smiling Conner, the smaller boy clapping his hands together as he began to move. "Anyway, while my ribs are busy healing up, we might as well get something to eat."

Superboy apparently didn't see anything odd with that statement, simply nodding at Zeke as they both stepped off the platform at the same time, the lights on the raised circle dimming to black as they walked away. "Yeah, sure."

There was silence for a few seconds as the two of them walked towards the hallway that lead to the kitchen, Zeke still rubbing his bruised chest. "So… what are you hungry for?"

Conner shrugged, smirk returning to the usual slight frown that he seemed to wear most of the time. "Whatever's there, I guess." The taller boy sped up his footsteps slightly, stepping into the bright light of the kitchen area just as M'gann turned around from where she stood, currently mixing a bowl of something with flour and eggs surrounding her on the counter.

Zeke smiled at the scent hitting him from where M'gann stood. _Cookies? Yes!_

"Hello, Superb… _Oops!_ I mean… Hello, Conner," M'gann's smile seemed to brighten as she left her baking preparations behind and floated over to Superboy, her cheeks doing that odd blushing thing that they had done the night before when Conner had told everyone his new name. All Zeke could think was that it had been weird before, seeing green skin go pink around the cheeks for no reason, and it was still pretty odd a day later.

 _Why does her skin go pink anyway? It should go purple, right? 'Cause she's green?_ The boy tilted his head to the right, one hand under his chin as he stared at the girl. _Or is she actually a White Martian? Wait, don't Martians only turn white when they go evil? Cause she went White in that evil Titans future, didn't she? Or was that a clone that went evil?_

Zeke's eyes narrowed for a moment, a slight frown forming on the young boy's face before he shook his head and stepped forward from behind Superboy. _Forget it, I'm just confusing myself._

M'gann's head turned to face Zeke a moment later, face still lit up. "Hello to you too, Zeke!"

She clapped her hands together and stepped forward, only to pause a moment later. The green girl glanced down at Zeke's body for a moment as the boy walked closer to her on his path towards the fridge, her bright smile shifting to mild confusion as she looked him over. "Umm, why are you still wearing your costume?"

"I dunno…" Zeke shrugged, opening the fridge. As he pulled out a carton of juice and last-night's leftovers, he placed both on the kitchen island and stared back at the Martian with a click of his tongue. "It's good for training, I guess."

Once again, in lieu of more casual clothing, Zeke had on nothing but his blue-and-white jumpsuit, fingerless gloves and a pair of matching sneakers.

Part of the reason for wearing his S.T.A.R. Labs created jumpsuit was for the sheer comfort the outfit provided while training, the entire thing designed to fit his body and with materials elastic enough to grow with him. Another reason was that he had enough of these jumpsuits to wear for every day of the week for about half a month and he had already grown used to wearing them. The final, and _most_ important, reason was that he really didn't feel like washing any of his clothes and the S.T.A.R. jumpsuit was both stain resistant and ' _stank_ ' resistant, meaning he could wear one for over a week before anyone noticed anything.

Not that he would, of course. He was lazy, not gross.

"Oh, okay!" Miss Martian seemed to accept his response, turning back to shoot Superboy another glance as the clone leaned against the counter, arms folded. _Huh,_ Zeke thought to himself again, _didn't he say he was hungry or something? Guess he's fine, then._

Pouring himself a glass of artificially-flavored apple drink, Zeke raised an eyebrow at how Megan's eyes never seemed to stray far from Conner's shirt, her gaze focused on the boy's torso for some reason. An odd thought niggled at the back of his head, and on a whim, he decided to give it voice. "Hey, M'gann?"

"Huh?" As if caught off guard, the green girl jumped slightly before turning back to face Zeke, her odd blush still present "Uh, yes, Zeke?"

Raising his glass, Zeke took a sip of his juice and asked, "How come you didn't ask Superboy about his costume? I mean, he wears the shield like every single day."

"Oh… uh, I mean, I…" Miss Martian's blush seemed to stick out even more, Zeke raising an eyebrow in confusion as the girl seemed to hedge even more. _What's up with her?_

Miss Martian would likely have kept going on with her stammering if Superboy hadn't stepped forward, moving away from the counter with his arms still folded. "This isn't my costume."

Zeke blinked, shooting Conner an odd look as he raised his arms up in a gesture that displayed his confusion rather well. "What? _This_ ," the smaller boy gestured to the entirety of Superboy with a flourish, "isn't your costume?"

Superboy shook his head, so subtly that he might as well not have done it at all. "No."

"...Okay." Zeke let out a sigh, raising a single eyebrow as he stared back at Conner. "What do you call what you're wearing right now?"

Superboy's reply was as confident as it was succinct. "Clothes. My clothes."

Opening his mouth for a moment, Zeke found himself shutting it again with a sharp click and shook his head. "...I don't know what I expected."

* * *

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **Ezekiel Patrick Armstrong**

 **Title:** None  
 **  
Level 4**

 **XP:** 275/1500

 **Age:** 13

 **HP:** 460/460

 **MP:** 140/140

 **Will:** 140/140

 **STR:** 28

 **SPD:** 32

 **VIT:** 32

 **INT:** 25

 **WIS:** 9

 **CHA:** 11

 **Stat Points:** 7

 **Cash:** $375

* * *

 **Traits**

 **Bright Kid:** While you're no genius or some prodigy, you're obviously brighter than most kids. By the time you're an adult, however, no one will care. **(Before the age of 18: +75% to INT gain and +25% to speed of learning Mana-based skills/abilities)**

* * *

 **Perks**

 **Hard Hitter**  
 _Bare knuckle boxer._  
All unarmed strikes deliver 25% more knockback force but no additional damage.  
 **  
 **Quick Healer****  
 _Don't worry, it won't scar._  
You heal rather fast, at a rate of a tenth of your VIT every fifteen seconds.

 **Reactive Reflexes**  
 _Gotta be quicker than that._  
When attempting to dodge an attack, your reflexes ability is 10% more effective.

 **Quick Study**  
 _A mind is a terrible thing to waste._  
With this skill, an additional 20% bonus is given whenever Exp is earned.

* * *

 **Skills**

 **Mana Burst Lv 8**  
 _Pew-pew! Pew-pew-pew!_  
A hastily-formed burst of energy with an unspecified nature.  
 **Max Damage:** 10% of INT x Skill Level  
 **Minimum Cost:** 5 Mana

 **Mana Shield Lv 6**  
 _Shields at 20% and holding!_  
A protective construct formed from the desire for protection and made from an energy of an unspecified nature. Drains 1 MP for every point of damage blocked. Shatters if more than 20% of MP is drained by a single blow. Ignores damage up to 6% of INT x VIT.  
 **Minimum Cost:** 5 Mana

 **Observe Lv. 9**  
 _Kinda like a scouter, but less cool somehow._  
Allows you to view the status or qualities of anyone or anything, allowing you to learn information about them.  
 **Cost:** 1 MP

 **Power Sprint Lv 10**  
 _You'll never be the Flash relying on this alone. Still, we've all gotta start somewhere._  
While active, your running speed increases by 5% per level. **(50%)**  
 **Cost:** 1 Will/s

 **Power Strike Lv 5**  
 _Not exactly a heavy hitter quite yet._  
Increases the STR value and knockback of your physical strikes by 10% per level. **(50%)**  
 **Cost:** 5 Will

* * *

 **Abilities**

 **Gamer's Body Lv MAX**  
 _Allows your body to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character._  
Sleeping restores HP, MP, Will and removes most negative status effects. Health, Will, and Mana regenerate at a base of 1 point every 30 seconds. Food and drink items can accelerate recovery.

 **Gamer's Mind Lv MAX**  
 _Allows your mind to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character._  
Grants immunity to mental status effects, emotional trauma and severely damaging emotional states. Grants immunity to forceful/unwanted mental intrusion.

 **Acrobatics Lv 1**  
 _Basically a flip kick, but without the kick part._  
An ability that enables you to pull off backflips, frontflips and any manner of jumping-based ground-movement technique with greater ease.

 **Awareness: Mana Lv 15**  
 _Mana, magic energy, magicka, prana, ether, spirit energy, magatsuhi or even chakra… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end._  
You have gained awareness of Mana, the spiritual energy found within the human mind and soul. Gaining awareness of your magical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.

 **Awareness: **Willpower** Lv 5**  
 _Willpower, ki, chi, qi, stamina, aura, mantra, physical energy, life energy, od, or even hamon… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end._  
You have gained awareness of your Willpower, the physical energy found within all living organisms. Gaining awareness of your physical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.

 **Basic Martial Arts Lv 3**  
 _Heroes prefer fists. Apparently, so do sidekicks._  
This ability measures your skill and intuition in bare-handed combat, allowing for rapid growth and adaptation in martial arts.

 **Breathing Control Lv 7**  
 _Batman can breathe in space. Why can't you?_  
The ability to use oxygen efficiently, enabling you to hold your breath for extended periods of time. Increases by 1 minute every level. **(7 minutes)**

 **Meditation Lv 5**  
 _When the mind is enlightened, the spirit is freed and the body matters not._  
The ability to train your mind in order to achieve a state of oneness with your spiritual essence and life force, as well your mind and body.

 **Reflexes Lv 2**  
 _DODGE!_  
Decreases innate reaction time by 10% per level. **(20%)**

 **Resistance: Blunt Force Lv 13**  
 _A little pain never hurt anyone._  
Reduce all blunt force damage from attacks less than 100% of your health. Increases 1% by level. **(13%)**

 **Resistance: Electricity Lv 5**  
 _Harmless Electrocution._  
Reduce all electrical damage from attacks less than 100% of your health.  
Increases 2% by level. ****(10%)****


	14. Emergence 2-2

**I'd like to thank all those who pledged to me on P a treon.**

 **Jack, Alec, Zach Collins, Ryan, Lazysailor, Lyte, Jaden Wimbley, Whalehunter, José Armando Gutiérrez HernándezBinary Giant, e-addict, Erik Mickiewicz, James Carl Henderson, Liam O' Neil, Mathieu Martineau, Sackthanaban Kounlavong, Cedron Spaulding, Silver W. King, TM, Chris, zdront, Door, Jonathan, Carl Mahon, NexusClown, Brandon Dayne Baugh, AntaeusTheGiant and Sartek. And of course, I can't go without mentioning Segev, who does a great job of Beta as well.**

 **Thanks to my other Betas. Kenmadragon, Dasstan, and the Fanciest of Molasses. Seriously, I appreciate all of you guys for your help and I want to make sure you know that.**

* * *

 **WolfbrotherTitan:** _Yes, as of right now, cutting attacks will bypass his resistance completely because he hasn't faced anything like that to level that resistance. He hasn't even **gained** that resistance yet, which is how bad it is._

 **Kay Starlight:** _Thank you. By the way, next chapter, we'll be heading into the thick of things a bit more. These last few days have been a breather for Zeke and the team._

 **Cashagon:** _Yeah, he has to be hurt. Also, about the rest of your comment, Zeke hasn't told everyone how his powers really work. He's the only one aware of the Game, so to speak. To everyone else, he can enhance himself and shoot energy blasts. Nothing special, really. The Justice League does suspect that he can do a lot more, Captain Atom especially._

* * *

 **Emergence 2.2**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **MOUNT JUSTICE**

 **July 21, 6:56 EDT**

"[Mana Burst!] [Mana Burst!] [Mana Burst!] [Mana Burst!]"

With those shouts, a half-dozen balls of volatile blue energy shot from Zeke's outstretched palm. They tore through the air in quick succession, each one fast enough to match the throw of any professional pitcher. A smile spread across the boy's face at the display of power, other hand already aglow as he prepared to launch another salvo.

It could be said that there were a lot of things that Zeke was coming to appreciate about the twin energies running through his body, now that he could properly access them at least. Using either of them —or both of them, it really didn't matter— seemed to energize him in ways that he couldn't quite describe.

Every single use of mana, no matter how small, seemed to send a jolt throughout his nerves, lighting his brain up for a few seconds as if he just took in a shot of pure caffeine. Oddly enough, using the stuff didn't really seem to make him any more excitable at all.

No, if anything, actively drawing on his mana seemed to make him more alert but _just_ so. Not enough to send him running all over the place on a self-induced sugar high, but enough that he felt very _awake._ It was a hard sensation to describe but Zeke was satisfied with the approximation he ended up with.

Another scream left Zeke's mouth, this one wordless as he sent another barrage of blue light towards his target with his off hand, jumping back slightly as he did so. With how hard it was to pin down and describe mana, it was odd that describing will came almost ridiculously easy in comparison. Just like how mana seemed to make his mind come to life, will performed a similar function only for his body, sending a warm heat throughout his body that seemed to set his body alight.

It was that simple, odd as it was. Starting from the very center of his chest, the golden energy seemed to travel along his veins, bringing his cells to life as it rushed through him like blood. Mana seemed to wake him up and force him into focus, while will gave him a far more heady rush.

Granted, the descriptions on his ability list basically said as much in fewer words but even then, it was one thing to read something. It was an entirely different situation to actually learn through experience.

Really, just using either of them was almost enough to get lost in the feeling of it all but somehow, Zeke was able to keep a clear head at the end of it. As the blue energy surged down his arm and filled his palm, Zeke couldn't deny the feeling it evoked in him. An unmistakable feeling of _raw_ power, controllable and unstoppable.

It was a shame that his feelings didn't exactly correspond to reality.

Superboy's arms lashed out, limbs nearly blurring as the larger boy dispatched several of the blue spheres out of the air one after the other. Even as he dispatched five of the energy bursts, several more impacted against Conner's bare chest in small, compact explosions barely a quarter the size of one of Robin's explosive birdarangs.

As expected, Conner wasn't even fazed by Zeke's attacks, the expression on his face one of annoyance and frustration rather than any sort of pain as he glanced over at Zeke's wide grin. The slight growl that left his mouth served to confirm as much.

"You good, Conner?"

"Nggh… Fine." Superboy's frown deepened slightly at the obvious joy in Zeke's tone, the clone shaking his head slightly despite his own words. "Just… tell me why "

At the other end of the training area, Zeke raised an eyebrow at Superboy's request. "Uhh, didn't I do that already? 'Cause I feel like I did." Both eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to think back. " _Yeah_ … pretty sure I mentioned it at least twice."

"No." Superboy crossed his arms, the action something Zeke had grown used to from the clone, and shot Zeke a flat look. "You didn't. You said you had an idea and you needed me to follow you and take off my shirt."

"Huh." The word left his mouth with a click of his tongue, Zeke honestly surprised at that. "And, uh, that's _all_ I said?"

Superboy rolled his eyes, still giving Zeke that same flat look. "Pretty much."

"Huh, weird," Zeke repeated with a shrug of his shoulders. "Well, you're here so it worked! Anyway, the whole point of this thing is for me to practice shooting my blasts and at the same time, test your super-reflexes."

"Hn." Superboy mulled the explanation over for a moment, Zeke almost seeing the gears turn in his head before he nodded a few seconds later in acceptance. "Fine, then why is M'gann here?" As he said this, he jerked a thumb over to the right where the green girl stood below the platform, eyes firmly on the larger boy.

"That's easy. She's here to provide moral support and use her telekinesis to make sure my blasts don't break anything," Zeke replied, shooting a grin toward the Martian as the girl raised a blue-and-black device in her hands. As soon as Superboy had agreed to help, the older girl had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, eager to assist in anyway possible and Zeke wasn't one to turn down free help.

"Also, that and record me on my S.T.A.R. Tab so I can watch how I use my powers," he added with a slightly widened smile.

"I also made cookies!" M'gann chimed in cheerfully.

"Even better!" Zeke flashed the older girl a smile, the thirteen year-old shifting into a cheesy thumbs-up pose as she stepped to the side to display a small table with lemonade and various cookies sitting on top of it. "See, Kon, she made cookies. Who doesn't like cookies?"

Superboy's flat look somehow got even flatter, his expression somehow reaching peaks of disinterest that Zeke would have thought were impossible before witnessing them at this very moment. "Whatever."

And just like that, the peak of disinterest had vanished, the larger boy rolling his eyes before glancing back at Zeke with slightly narrowed eyes that bordered on the edge of frustration. "Are we doing this or what?"

"Yeah," Zeke's grin brightened, the skin along the underside of his arms already tingling as he began to draw on the mana inside him, "Yeah, we are."

Without even bothering to turn his head to look at her, the smaller boy pointed a finger at the girl watching them. "M'gann, you're definitely gonna want to record this."

"Got it!"

"I spent all day working on this baby," Zeke began, smiling at the bare-chested teen across from him as he raised both hands to his sides, palms facing towards Superboy. "You see, I've been having trouble getting this thing to work since we met Twister. I tried it out a couple more times before even yesterday and still… _nada._ Like, really," he continued with a shake of his head, "it should have been easy. Push two blasts together and you make one big blast, right? I mean, that's what I th-"

"Alright!" Superboy interjected rather loudly, his normal gruff tone making Zeke jump slightly as the clone ratcheted up the volume. M'gann's slight squeak made him feel a little better about his own surprised yelp, but only slightly. "We get it! Just get to the point!"

 _Whoa… okay, we're back to this again._ Raising his eyebrows, Zeke closed his open mouth and swallowed a moment later, doing his best to keep the nervousness out of his expression. As friendly as he had been trying to be with Superboy, the clone never failed to do his best to remind Zeke that he had _quite_ a temper.

"Wow," he began, forcing a smile as he shot a quick glance at M'gann, the girl looking a bit more out of place than he was as she glanced down at the tablet in her hands, "was I talking that much? Sorry if I was. Didn't mean to get on your nerves, Conner."

Conner froze slightly at the apology, his face going through several odd expressions before settling on one of mild discontent as he glanced away from Zeke, arms folded across his chest.

Much like Zeke expected, Conner didn't really have anything to say after that, the apology throwing him off guard. The clone was deceptively simple to understand when it actually came down to it. Not knowing how to be anything other than blunt, Conner often was prone to rather direct outbursts when he got even slightly heated. It didn't take long for him to cool down, though, and even then, Zeke knew he didn't mean anything by it.

Just from the way he stood now, arms folded as he purposely avoided eye contact with both him and M'gann showed that Conner was a lot more than just anger issues. There was frustration and anger written clearly on Superboy's face, true, but Zeke doubted that at least half of it wasn't directed back at himself.

 _This Superboy did have it pretty rough compared to… well, the other ones,_ Zeke thought to himself, smile wavering slightly. _I can't believe they made him to destroy Superman, too. I mean, it's not like he could,_ he nodded, recalling how lacking _this_ Superboy was to any other that he could recall, _but it's no wonder that Superman feels kinda awkward around the guy._

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

The information about Superman's standoffish behavior towards Superboy had surprised Zeke when Conner reluctantly joined in with the rest of the group in sharing some information about themselves just last night around the campfire. The whole thing had been spurred by Miss Martian espousing the joys of camping and Kid Flash going on and on about smores and roasting hotdogs in an attempt to get her attention. Zeke didn't understand why anyone would want to sleep outside with the dirt and eat food off of sticks but seeing as _everyone else_ was apparently so eager to give up the modern blessings known as bathrooms and plumbing for one night, he had no choice but to go along.

With the six of them sitting around a campfire, conversation flowed rather smoothly, Wally continuing to hit on M'gann for a while. Zeke had started talking about cool tv shows, having gotten used to channel surfing on the absolutely massive televisions inside the cave. Seeing as Power Rangers existed here, and wasn't that a shocker, he had asked everyone if they had any favorite teams.

M'gann, Aqualad, and Superboy had been as confused as ever, unsure what he was talking about but then again, Zeke hadn't really expected them to know much about the greatness of Power Rangers in the first place. His own personal favorite was Dino Thunder, of course. Robin had let out a laugh at his pick, going next by announcing his fave as Ninja Storm, remarking that their ideas of ninja were "hilarious, but kinda awesome, still." Wally's choice of Power Rangers: RPM was met with silence from both Zeke and Robin, the two never having seen that series.

After that, there had been a bit of awkward silence until Robin had brought up campfire stories. With that change of topic, each of them started talking about where they came from or, in Wally's case, how he got his powers. Aqualad had gone first, his mention of a 'Garth' catching Zeke's attention immediately. The fact that the choice for Aqualad came down to a fifty-fifty chance in this world was pretty crazy, but at least he now knew that Tempest was still alive and kicking.

Wally had gone next, going into a quickly summarized version of the Flash's history, starting all the way with Jay Garrick. Zeke had found himself tuning out through most of it, only to snap back into focus when Wally had mentioned that, apparently, Barry Allen had the _actual freaking formula_ for super speed just lying around in his house.

 _What? That doesn't make any sense!_ Zeke had wondered, blinking as Wally continued to babble. _Why doesn't the whole league have superspeed right now? I mean… it worked on Jay and then Barry copied what happened to him here and now Wally…_ Zeke shook his head a few moments later, realizing that he was making assumptions. After all, if the speed formula was something that could be copied by some random CSI and a kid with a garage lab, half the world would be speedsters already. _I'm guessing speed force shenanigans, then._

Miss Martian's story was fantastic, recounting an incredible competition to earn the right to go to Earth with Martian Manhunter, and Zeke couldn't help but be reminded of one of the Wonder Woman origin stories he had read before. Either way, something about M'gann's tale felt kinda off but he wasn't really sure what.

When it came time for him to speak, all Zeke had to say was that he couldn't remember anything personal about himself past the beginning of summer, and Robin… well, Robin worked with Batman, so anything that he would want to say was pretty off-limits. With that, Superboy's turn had been last, the clone going into his origins at Cadmus with surprisingly little hesitation. Zeke's eyebrows had risen at the mention of the laboratory name, and kept rising higher as Conner continued with his tale.

Thoughts rushed through Zeke's mind as Superboy kept on talking, the primary one being the sudden, shocking, realization that Superboy didn't know he was only _half_ -Kryptonian. Continuing from that line of thought, he likely had no idea that his other genetic donor was Lex Luthor either. That… _could_ be really bad news, in more ways than one.

It had taken the younger boy nearly a minute of internally freaking out to pull himself back together and think about the situation more clearly. Things were already so different here so he might just be speculating for no reason. Superboy's powers here seemed to be innate, after all, not telekinetic, among other things.

Really, for all he knew, Conner could be a perfect, if still-developing, clone of Superman with no Lex Luthor genes in the mix to mess it up and make him go all bald and crazy. _Hell,_ Zeke had thought to himself, _Paul Westfield_ _could actually be his other donor here. Talk about a shocker._

With that in mind, Zeke had managed to calm himself down, just moments before Superboy had dropped the bomb that the main thought on his mind at all times was "destroying Superman."

Really, considering the guy had to deal with all that, Zeke couldn't find it in him to take Conner's outbursts personally. Honestly, it actually made sense why the big guy was so surly all the time. _I mean, if I was born and brainwashed to want to kill Superman, I don't think I'd be all smiles either._

Pulling, Zeke took one step forward, his smile growing slightly less forced as a second or two went by. "So, how about it, big guy? Everything okay?"

"Yeah… sure." Superboy's shoulders loosened, the tension bleeding from the moment as he raised his head again. The muscular boy shrugged at first, gaze flicking between the apologizing smaller boy and the ceiling before his frustrated expression became flat again. "I'm sorry too, I guess."

 **+1 CHA**

"Cool, cool, _so…_ " Zeke wiggled his fingers at his sides, raising both his eyebrows as he rocked forward on his toes "can I try out my new move _ooor…_ "

Superboy's response was a simple nod, the clone unfolding his arms and leaving his chest open once more. "Sure. Just get it over with."

Smile returning in full force, Zeke let out a cackle worthy of Robin as he swung his arms up and pulled them back. "Alright! Let's do this!"

As he said this, one of his hands began to glow as he charged up a mana burst in his off-hand, the blue energy bubbling in his palm. Tilting his head to the side, he repeated the same action for his right.

Slowly moving his hands together, Zeke's smile dimmed slightly as he tried to maintain his focus, keeping the image of what he needed to happen in the forefront of his mind. He began to bring his hands together, muttering under his breath much like he had the other times he had tried this. The first time he had managed to even come close to pulling this off before had been when he was forced to try this move on the spot with Twister.

Despite successfully shooting it off, he had received a notification from the system telling him that the whole thing had failed somehow. Whatever a special skill was, he hadn't managed to create it yet, despite his best efforts and hours spent training his Mana Burst and multiple attempts **(+3 Mana Burst)** **.**

He had come pretty darn close, though, and - after so many tries - he was pretty sure this one would be the charm. Finally bringing both hands together in an all too familiar manner, Zeke lowered his cupped palms to the right side of his ribs and looked directly ahead, vision locked directly onto his target.

Conner's eyes narrowed, gaze dropping to the larger ball of energy in Zeke's hands, most likely intrigued at how the thing seemed to bulge outwards, visibly straining against the smaller boy's attempt at controlling it. Even M'gann seemed entranced as she held up the S.T.A.R. pad to record the action, having only seen him try something like this once before.

 _You got this._ Zeke mouthed the motivation to himself as he thought the words, trying his best to keep his attention solely on the energy in his hands as he struggled to keep them together. This was the part where it always broke down on him, the energy unwilling to stay under his control for long no matter what he did. _Come on. Just hold it._

Even now, it was fighting him for all it was worth, tongues of what looked like blue flame shooting out from the grapefruit-sized ball of energy he was trying to compress in his hands. Really, he was surprised it hadn't blown up in his face already.

Not that he was going to let it, if he had anything to say about it. _Don't lose it. Don't lose it. Don't lo-_

 **" _Recognized: Kid Flash; B-0-3"_**

Zeke's eyes widened at the loud announcement from the automated voice and the sudden sound from the Zeta Beam, his concentration finally snapping as a familiar voice announced itself.

"What's up, cave people? Guess whoo _-oaaaah, what the heck_?"

With a startled grunt, a volleyball-sized ball of blue energy rocketed forth from between Zeke's cupped palms, the boy losing any semblance of control he thought he had in a single instant. Mana trailed behind the blast of energy, giving it the appearance of a jagged comet tail as the sphere let out a low keening sound on it's flight path.

Humming with barely controlled energy, the burst of energy slammed into Conners chest, blue eyes widening as the larger boy stumbled backwards slightly. In an instant, it burst apart, audibly displacing the air around itself as the entire thing expanded to twice its size and engulfed Superboy's entire torso.

A moment later, the lightshow faded to nothing, the din it created disappearing with it, leaving only silence and surprised faces behind. Superboy, out of all three of them, seemed the most visibly stunned, the half-Kryptonian blinking as he raised one hand to pat at his bare chest.

"I… I think I felt that?"

Zeke didn't even have a moment to process the words that left Superboy's mouth, far too focused on the words that now hung in front of him, familiar blue lettering making his eyes widen as he read them.

* * *

 **Mana Burst Lvl Up!**

 **11→13**

 **Awareness: Mana Lvl Up!**

 **15→16**

* * *

 **[Special Skill Created!]**

 **Name Special Skill?**

* * *

 _I did it?_ His eyes widened even further, the boy bursting into a smile as he pumped the air wildly with both fists. _I did it! I finally freaking did it! Yes! I finally got that stupid move to work!_

* * *

 **Name Special Skill?**

* * *

The image re-appeared, another set of words imposing themselves over the previous ones.

 _Name? I have to name this one? Why?_

"Oh, uh…" Zeke blinked, eyes widening a third time as an idea hit him, remnants of his pop-culture knowledge making itself known again. "Hadoken!"

* * *

 **Special Skill Created: Hadoken!**

 **SS: Hadoken**

A derivative of Mana Burst created through the forced merging of two bursts.

Explodes on contact with far more force than any singular Mana Burst could manage.

A staple of nearly every fighting game for the last ten years.

 **Max Damage:** 5x Mana Burst

 **Cost:** 5x Mana Burst

* * *

 _Yes! Street Fighter for the win!_ Before Zeke could fist-bump the air again, excitement at finally accomplishing what he had been at for a while still first in his mind, a voice from behind him cut into his celebration.

"Seriously, What the _hell_ was that?!"

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

"You're the one being ridiculous here." The words left his mouth as he dropped his folded arms on the kitchen island, staring petulantly at the boy currently downing about a quarter of the whole fridge's worth of food in front of him. "Seriously, it's not funny."

Wally let out a muffled laugh, nearly choking on some sort of powdered pastry before he swallowed a moment later. " _Uhh_ … yeah, it is. You actually said _magic_ , dude."

"And, what's so funny about that?" Zeke asked, wearing the slightest of frowns on his face. After Superboy had stomped off in another bad mood, shooting Zeke a slight glare on his way out, M'gann following behind him with the excuse of returning his shirt, the youngest member of the team had been left with only Wally as company. The redhead had stared intently at M'gann as she walked away, obviously wanting to say something to the green girl, but for some reason, he thought better of it and turned his attention to Zeke, still curious as what that light show had been.

Zeke hadn't actually minded the attention. Glad to sate Wally's curiosity, he'd quickly launched into a word-for-word description on what his Mana Bursts were and how his newly created Hadoken fit right into that.

What he expected from Wally was a congratulatory high-five, possibly an "Awesome, dude!" He got none of that. What he got consisted more of Wally struggling and failing to hold back laughter as he walked away from Zeke and headed into the kitchen.

Arms folded, he shot the laughing redhead another glare, this one coming off as more of a displeased pout, his childish face working against his already meager intimidation factor.

"I mean, dude, you work with Captain Atom," Wally continued, swallowing a mouthful of chewed-up hotdog with all the grace and poise of a teenage boy. "I wouldn't have figured you for one of those people, you know."

" _Those_ people?" Zeke quirked an eyebrow, lowering the reheated hotdog in his own hand as he glanced over at Wally again. "What are you talking about?"

"You know," Wally rolled his eyes in an almost exaggerated manner, brushing some crumbs away from his mouth with the back of his hand before turning back to the boy sitting across the kitchen island, " _Those_ people. People who talk about magic like it's an actual thing when it's just a bunch of fakers playing with smoke, mirrors and fancy tech"

 _What? What is he even..._ Zeke blinked, unsure as to what Wally meant. "But…magic... it's real, though."

When he received nothing but an eye-roll from Wally, Zeke shook his head in confusion. "Seriously, magic exists, Wally. I know for a fact that my powers use magical energy, something called mana, and life energy, also known as wi… _chi_." He tried hard to fight the flinch that came with the sudden word change, barely managing to pass the facial tic off as a quick blink. _Can't exactly say willpower or he'll start asking me why I'm not glowing green._

"Yeah, whatever," Wally snorted, the action spraying the marble with flecks of food that Wally hadn't managed to chew thoroughly enough, something Zeke couldn't help but note. "You say mana and _chi_ ," his hands came up in air-quotes as the last syllable left his lips, "but that could easily be written off as bioelectricity and adrenaline. Not a perfect explanation but tons better than invisible _magical_ energy and fake Asian mystic crap that should have died out a couple hundred years ago."

Zeke blinked again, a breath of air leaving him as he continued to stare at the redhead across from him with a stunned expression. Unsure of whether he was taking Wally's words the wrong way somehow, he shook his head and tried to start the conversation again. " _Okay,_ I'm gonna ignore what you just said because there's a lot to unpack there." _Seriously, how does he not believe in magic?_

"Translation: the Wall-Man proved me wrong and I don't have anything to say."

The urge to bite back rose up in his chest, Zeke's hands tightening into fists as they lay on the cool counter. _Don't Just… let it go. Just let it go._

With another sigh, this one more out of sheer frustration than anything else, Zeke raised his head to shoot the gluttonous inger a focused glare. "Wally, I really don't get what's so hard about admitting that magic _is_ real. Wonder Woman's pretty much a walking talking ad for magic," he tilted his head, looking on as Wally kept chowing down on anything within reach. "Sculpted from clay, brought to life by the gods, unbreakable bracelets, magic lasso… I mean, come on, she's magical as all get out _plus_ she's been kicking butt from before your parents were even _born_."

" _Sure_ ," Wally replied, rolling his eyes without missing a beat. "We _could_ take that as proof of magic." With that, he shoved some chips into his mouth and chewed slowly.

The younger boy brightened, leaning away from the counter with a smile on his face. _Huh, that was easy._ "See, you get what I'm talking ab-"

" _Or,_ " Wally interjected, continuing as he finished his mouthful, "we could accept that maybe taking the word of someone raised on an isolationist island of women isn't gonna be someone who can tell magic apart from super advanced tech or aliens pretending to be gods to mess with some primitives."

Raising his eyebrows, Wally stood up with the remainder of the food he didn't touch on a tray in front of him. Stepping out from the kitchen island, the older boy gave Zeke a smile that seemed to just _ooze_ a smug sense of satisfaction. "Especially not when they've been raised their whole life to believe in them. Make sense?"

Zeke actually wasn't sure what to say in response to that, his mouth falling open slightly as he tried to understand where Wally was actually coming from. From his own web searches, the younger boy was well aware that magic wasn't exactly well-believed by the general public. Sure, there were those who accepted it as an explanation but a great many couldn't believe that such a thing existed.

The fact that someone as close to the real deal as Kid Flash could deny the fact that magic existed was just… _odd._ Fighting the urge to shake his head again, Zeke just nodded slowly at Wally's question. "Yeah, it definitely makes some sort of sense."

"Simple logic, man. That's all it is," Wally shot him another smug grin. "See ya later."

With that, Wally walked off into the main hallway, a mountain of food still on his tray as he headed off to look for M'gann, most likely.

Zeke stared at the speedster's back as he walked off, unable to shake the snarky thought on his mind at that very moment. Taking another breath, the young teen closed his eyes and nodded as he muttered to himself, "You'd figure the guy _named_ Dick would be the biggest one on the team."

* * *

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **Ezekiel Patrick Armstrong**

 **Title:** None

 **Level 4**

 **XP:** 275/1500

 **Age:** 13

 **HP:** 460/460

 **MP:** 75/165

 **Will:** 152

 **STR:** 28

 **SPD:** 32

 **VIT:** 32

 **INT:** 30

 **WIS:** 9

 **CHA:** 12

 **Stat Points:** 0

 **Cash:** $375


	15. Emergence 2-3

**REVIEW REPLIES**

 **OneGuyUpstair:** _He does have both Gamer's Mind and Body, but as noted, this is not a crossover of [The Gamer]. Instead, this is following the general Gamer Idea. As such, I am not following the same path that the manwha took, especially when the idea existed before the manwha came out or received popularity. As such, he still has emotions and Gamer's Mind only comes in to prevent traumatic mental states. He also still has bodily funtions instead of existing as just some representation of a human body, so bleeding and concussions still exist, even if they are status effects primarily._

* * *

 **I'd like to thank all those who pledged to me on the site known as PATREEON.**

 **Jack, Roman Krupkin, Agamnon Solarion, Weise, yosef vicars, Alec, Spooky Bones, Christian Schroter, Agamnon Solarion, Weise, yosef vicars, Yobthog, Zach Collins, Ryan, Lazysailor, Lyte, Binary Giant, e-addict, Erik Mickiewicz, James Carl Henderson, Liam O' Neil, Mathieu Martineau, Sackthanaban Kounlavong, Cedron Spaulding, Silver W. King, TM, Chris, zdront, Door, NexusClown, Brandon Dayne Baugh, AntaeusTheGiant, Mira, Jacek Blonski, Sartek, ALEX, and Benjamin Helkey. And of course, I can't go without mentioning Segev, who does a great job of Beta as well.**

 **Thanks to my other Betas. Kenmadragon, Dasstan, and the Fanciest of Molasses. Seriously, I appreciate all of you guys for your help and I want to make sure you know that.**

* * *

 **Emergence 2.3**

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

 **Santa Prisca**

 **July 22, 8:15 ECT**

"You know, I kinda have a bad feeling about this mission," Zeke whispered loudly, voice nearly exceeding that of his regular volume as he and the team — sans Aqualad — made their way past a powerful waterfall. The words left his mouth quickly followed by a relieved sigh, the young teen thankful they had finally left the narrow cliff path they had been traversing behind them.

" _We. Know,_ " Wally bit back in a hiss, voice ringing with a double dose of annoyance as Zeke received it from both his earpiece and the boy's mouth himself just a few meters away. "You've only mentioned it like six times, dude. Give it a rest already."

The redhead didn't even bother looking back at him as he responded, quickly keeping pace with Robin as the Boy Wonder and lazily vaulted over a fallen tree. Zeke frowned as he continued behind the two boys in the lead, sloppily copying the same vaulting motion both the boys in front of him had used to traverse the wooden obstacle.

 **Acrobatics Lvl Up!**

 **1→2**

Landing on his feet, Zeke shot an annoyed glare at Kid Flash's back. _Yeah, you_ _ **would**_ _say something like that. So excited to finally have a mission. What could go wrong, right?_

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

(Four Hours Ago)

"Isla Santa Prisca." Batman began in a dour tone, his back to the Team as he stared at a map of the aforementioned island hovering above the holographic projector. "This island nation is the primary source of a dangerous and illegal neurosteroid, a strength-enhancing drug sold under the street name Venom."

The entire team stood there in the mission center watching, some of them far more attentively than others. Robin and Aqualad seemed the perfect image of discipline, the two of them completely focused on what Batman had to say or at least doing a great job at pretending so. Superboy and Miss Martian were only slightly less attentive, the clone's stare just as intense as it usually was while M'gann stood by his side as usual. Wally, on the other hand, seemed far more interested in emptying the bag of chips he held above anything else.

The display shifted from a map to show several aerial shots of a warehouse seemingly hidden in a jungle area. "The infrared heat signatures indicate that their factory is operating at full capacity but all shipments of Venom have inexplicably cut off. That's where this Team comes in. This is a covert recon mission only. Observe and report. If the Justice League need to intervene, it will."

Just as before, the projection shifted back to that of the map of the island, displaying two areas at opposite ends of the island marked with large red dots. "The plan requires two drop zones." Just like that, Batman halted the briefing there and began discussing something in a lower tone with Red Tornado, the Caped Crusader seemingly satisfied with the minimal amount of knowledge he had just left the team with.

Strangely enough, they all seemed just as satisfied with it as well.

"So who's in charge?" Rather than asking for more detail about the mission itself, Robin seemed to have something else on his mind as he leaned forward, the barest hints of a smile on his face.

Batman and Red Tornado turned around, both of them glancing at the Boy Wonder before they shot each other a look of their own. One would have to wonder how Batman could read anything from Red Tornado's metal faceplate but the two of them seemed to come to a non-verbal agreement regardless.

"Work that out between yourselves."

Robin's smile grew further, his lips spreading upwards into a full-blown smirk as the young teen took that to mean that he was essentially just granted the leadership position. The rest of the team glanced at one another, far more joyful smiles spreading across their faces as they realized they'd all just been granted their first _real_ mission.

Above all else, though, they were all calm, each of them displaying expressions of determined readiness as they glanced at one another, not a single one of them at all worried by whatever Batman had in store for them. In that moment, the five of them seemed confident enough to take on the entire world.

As for their youngest member, _well_...

Zeke stood to the side of Wally, utterly unconcerned with the ginger's loud eating or the few salty crumbs that landed on his person as he continued staring at the holographic map with wide eyes. Periodically, his mouth would open slightly as he mouthed a single word with dry lips, closing them a moment later as he swallowed a mouthful of nothing.

His gaze had been locked onto the map as soon as he heard the words 'Santa Prisca', a sense of foreboding coming over him that only intensified as soon as the word 'Venom' was uttered by the Dark Knight himself.

Batman's gaze had dropped onto him for a few moments, those white lenses narrowing as Zeke stilled at his words. Throughout the entire briefing, Batman's surreptitious glances toward Zeke hadn't gone unnoticed, at least by Robin.

As Batman finished speaking though, returning his gaze to Red Tornado, it took all the youngest team member had to keep himself standing when a box of blue text appeared in front of him, confirming his current fears.

 **The Villain from Santa Prisca**

 _A mission given to you by the Batman himself has you and your team headed for Santa Prisca. Complete the mission given to you by the Batman and avoid being spotted by any enemies._

 **Success:** Stealth +10, + 5 Stat Points, + 1 WIS, + 2500 XP

 **Failure:** Encounter Bane

He shuddered as another whisper left his mouth.

"Bane."

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

* * *

 **I'm just putting this chapter out to get back into the swing of writing again. I know it's very short.**

 **There's no need to leave comments about that. I'm just doing it to get used to writing this story again. Relax.**

 **Seriously, don't leave comments complaining about how short it is.**


	16. Emergence 2-4

**Emergence 2.4**

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

 **Santa Prisca**

 **July 22, 8:15 ECT**

 _Seriously,_ Zeke thought to himself, a mental groan sounding off in his head, _why am I the only one bringing up the fact that there are so many things wrong with this?_ His hands fell to his sides in utter frustration as he continued creeping through the underbrush, eyes shifting from side to side as he tried to keep on the lookout for anyone that could sneak up on them.

* * *

 **Ability Learned: Stealth**

 **Stealth Lv 1**

 _ **It's so overt, it's covert.**_

 **This represents your ability to avoid being seen, allowing you to slip past foes or strike them from an unseen position.** **This skill does not cover the art of silent movement. Increases critical chance of stealth attacks by .5% per level.**

* * *

Zeke ignored the pop-up, too nervous to even glance up at the thing as the five of them found themselves entering the thick depths of the jungle once more.

A quick search on the internet before they left for this mission had told him that stealth missions — at the very least, covert operations with any positive chance of remaining such — relied on the team handling said covert mission being focused, trained, and experienced enough to pull it off with minimal complications.

As far as Zeke knew, _this_ team as a whole possessed absolutely none of these qualities. Apart from Robin and maybe possibly Kaldur, none of them could be said to have any experience with covert _anything_. In fact, the only thing most of them had done in preparation for this mission that could really be called stealthy was replacing the bright, primary colors of their costumes with a subdued black.

That, at least, _was_ a good idea.

Under the cover of night, his eye-catching blue and white jumpsuit would have stuck out like a sore thumb covered in glow-in-the-dark paint, and all it took to resolve that was spending a few minutes fiddling with his overcomplicated S.T.A.R. Tab to change the color of the smart fabric from white and bright blue to black and a far duller, midnight blue.

Past that, the only thing _he_ knew about being stealthy was trying not to be seen.

 _Kaldur is so frickin' lucky right now,_ he groused to himself.

The dark-skinned Atlantean's path had diverged from the remainder of the team early on; he'd leapt off the bioship as they neared the island to pull off some part of the mission that Zeke hadn't quite paid attention to, what with his somewhat freaking out over the possibility of facing a certain supervillain at the time. While the older sidekick might not describe his own situation as lucky, Zeke couldn't help but feel that it was far less of a death sentence than what he was doing right now.

So far, despite Zeke's misgivings, everything had proceeded as planned. They had set up several mines in locations that either Batman or Robin - Zeke honestly wasn't sure which, but he trusted their judgment either way - had mapped out for them, and they were headed towards the surveillance point, some sort of cliff overlooking the factory. All well and good, but Zeke couldn't help but feel anxious.

Especially with the Mission still clear in his mind.

 _Still, is it too much to ask that we get some stealth training or something?_ His frown only increased as they continued to stealth their way through the jungle, the youngest member of the team flinching at every fallen branch and leaf he stepped over. Unable to hold back his frustrations anymore, Zeke decided to voice his concerns again.

"So… uh, guys," Zeke whispered, eyes continuing to dart around, "what's the actual protocol for if we… uhh, you know, get seen? What's the plan?"

"What else?" Kid Flash snorted, shooting the smaller boy an incredulous look with a raised eyebrow. "We take them down, duh. What other _plan_ do we need?"

"I'm just saying, there's gonna be guys with guns. _Guns,_ " he hissed. "Not sure about you, but I definitely can't outrun bullets."

"Would you _give it a rest already?_ " Kid Flash bit back, voice lowered to a hiss much like Zeke's. "You've been whining this whole mission, and nothing's even happened yet."

 _Something shouldn't have to go wrong before I can point out that it could,_ Zeke thought back, annoyed. His mouth was held tightly in a thin scowl that might have almost crossed the line all the way to intimidating if he wasn't only five feet tall and barely over a hundred pounds soaking wet. Instead, it was a very cute pout. "You wanna talk about whi-"

"Would you two stop it with the chit-chat?" This time, Robin was the one who responded, the boy in front actually turning around completely to shoot Zeke a direct glare as he hissed. "This is supposed to be a _covert_ mission."

"Yeah, I know that. _But…_ " Zeke rolled his eyes at Wally, shaking his head a moment later, "I'm pretty sure we tipped _that_ Jenga tower when Supey's landing registered on the Richter scale."

At this, Zeke shot a quick glance at the Boy of Steel behind him, both Robin and Wally following along with him. Superboy stared right back at the three of them with an uninterested and unrepentant expression, arms at his sides as M'gann floated over his shoulder. "I'm not apologizing."

The boy in blue shook his head at Superboy's aloof attitude, unable to fight the small smile growing on his face. _Oh my God, he's so dang cool!_

"Nobody expected you to, Big Guy."

Before anyone could say anything else, Robin raised a single palm up into the air. Almost in unison, the team stopped their forward advance.

 _Almost_ in unison.

After a moment's confusion, Zeke paused as well, coming to a complete stop just a few feet ahead of the rest of the group. Ignoring the slight smirk on Kid Flash's lips as he slinked over to Robin's side, he found his gaze falling to the Boy Wonder's outstretched glove as a panel opened up to display a holographic projection of… something.

Zeke wasn't actually paying attention as to what it was, far too focused on the fact that a _glove_ was projecting a hologram. Part of him couldn't help but wonder how you would fit all the stuff needed to make a hologram into a wrist-mounted computer, in addition to everything else. _Man, even Star Labs didn't have holo wrist computers. Wrist computers?_ He pulled a face as Robin continued to speak, still not paying much attention. _Wrist-tops?_

Before Zeke could continue his internal confusion, Superboy suddenly stood up straight, gaze darting off to the right of the group. "Did you hear that?"

"Uh…" Zeke blinked up at the clone, paranoia suddenly heightened by Superboy's comment. "Which of us are you asking?"

"Yeah, pretty sure you're the only one with the super hearing here," Kid Flash remarked.

"You do have great ears," M'gann added.

 _Come on, Miss M. Not the time._ Zeke took a moment out of his worrying to shoot the Martian girl an odd look. _Jeez, gonna have to get a spray bottle at this rate._

"Okay, Rob, what's the plan?" Kid Flash turned around to face the Boy Wonder only to find nothing but an empty forest path in front of him, Zeke letting out a startled yelp as he realized the young acrobat had vanished.

The redhead let out a sigh, shoulders drooping slightly as he remarked, "Man, does he have to do that all the time?"

"Better question is," Zeke whipped his head around from side-to-side, searching the thick forestry as if Robin would pop up at his side when he least expected it, " _how_ does he do that? I was _right_ next to him."

"Not the time." Aqualad's whispered voice cut into everyone's ears, the ear comms they all wore carrying his commanding tones without any distortion. "Superboy, Kid, switch to infrared. See if you're being tracked and report back."

Kid Flash allowed himself a self-assured smirk and lowered his circular goggles over his eyes, red lines forming over them as he did so. After a moment, he spoke up again, voice quiet but firm. "Got a squad of armed bozos incoming. Not too far down the trail."

The redhead jerked his head forward as a signal to the rest of them as he quickly moved forward; Zeke, M'gann, and Superboy followed behind him as they all moved into position behind forest brush and a partially fallen tree.

Conner glanced in the opposite direction from Kid Flash, a look of concentration on his face. "Two squads," he added, correcting Wally's earlier statement in his usual clipped tones. "But they'll meet each other before they find us."

 _That's weird._ Zeke screwed up his face in thought. _They're only guarding one factory, right? Why would you have two groups walking in opposite dir-_

Several bursts of gunfire rang out, cutting into the rookie's train of thought and cluing him into the situation. _Not on the same side, then._ He nodded to himself, face relaxed. _Makes sense._

"No super hearing needed for that," Wally snarked.

"Ya think?" Zeke shot back, rolling his eyes a second time. Kid Flash glared back at him, mouth open for another retort when Aqualad's deep voice came through the comms again with another message.

"Enough talking," The youngest of them stiffened slightly as Aqualad commanded them again, voice loud and urgent to make himself heard over the gunfire. "Swing wide, steer clear!"

"Stay away from bullets, got it," Zeke nodded firmly, fully on board with Aqualad's idea for multiple reasons. "No problem with me."

" _Yeah-yeah_ ," Wally replied blithely, instructions clearly going in one ear and out the other as he walked from behind the boulder serving as his cover. "Just as soon as I find Rob."

 _Soon as I… what?_ Zeke's head snapped to face the junior speedster, alarm bells ringing in his head as he parsed Kid Flash's words. "Wait! Aqualad sai-" The words died on his lips, Kid Flash already having vaulted over a tree by the time he finished the first syllable.

 _Are you kidding me?_ His mouth fell open in a gape as Kid Flash booked it through the treeline and towards the gunfire, the black-clad sidekick already moving at highway speeds the very same moment his feet touched the ground. _Are you really kidding me right now?_

"Of all the stupi- _Jesus_ Christ, I mean, can you _believe_ that guy?" Zeke pointed one hand in Wally's direction as he glanced back at the two remaining members of his team, voice full of frustrated rage and expecting them to agree with him. What he got instead was a burst of wind strong enough to nearly topple him over and an empty space where M'gann and Superboy _should_ have been standing.

Blinking in utter shock, Zeke turned his gaze upward to watch Superboy arc upwards in one of his impressive leaps and M'gann flying right after him, blue cape fluttering in the wind. His palm met his forehead a moment later, a headache that had to be 100% stress building up directly behind his eyes. " _Avoid the guys with guns,"_ he finally said, voice slowly rising in pitch. He threw his hands up in the air, in another show of exasperation. _"_ What about that is so frickin' _hard_?"

Sighing, Zeke continued speaking to empty air, already aware that his comm would relay everything. "Aqualad, Zeke here. I'm kinda running solo righ-"

"I am aware." The Atlantean interjected, not wasting a single moment as he relayed Zeke a new set of instructions. "Follow them from behind. St-"

"Hold up," Zeke interrupted, eyes widening slightly, "You want me to go _toward_ the guns?"

"Correct," Aqualad replied back tersely, military training coming across clearly in his tone. "Stay unseen. Eyes peeled, mouth closed. Aqualad out."

 **Mission Gained!**

 **Keep to Covert**

 _Aqualad has given you a new set of orders. Keep hidden while your team does all the legwork. Sound good?_

 **Success:** +2 to [Stealth], + 1 Stat Point, + 1 WIS, + 1000 XP

 **Failure:** Enter Combat

 _Son of a-_ Zeke shut his eyes and let out a deep sigh, head beginning to pound uncomfortably. _I thought we were all supposed to be covert?_ Pushing down his frustrations as deep as he could manage, Zeke grit his teeth and vaulted over the tree in front of him, his own actions a rough imitation of the speedster's earlier move.

* * *

 **Acrobatics**

 **2→3**

* * *

 _"Power Sprint!"_ As he touched down on the ground, his lower body began to glow a soft golden color and he began his rapid dash _toward_ the repeated bursts of automatic fire. It was only seconds later that he realized a problem, eyes widening as he did so.

The shoes S.T.A.R. Labs had made for him were designed for several things, extreme comfort and breathability being at the top of the list considering they were designed to be used by someone on their feet all day.

What they weren't designed for was _traction_.

Specifically, the type of traction required to support a rapid shift in speed combined with unstable, muddy jungle trails.

Long story short… " _Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhh-_ Ow!"

 **-49**

The sidekick came to a sudden stop, his body coming into contact with a boulder kind enough to halt his impromptu tumble. " _A frickin' stupid rock?_ " Sadly, Zeke wasn't quite in the mood to be grateful. " _Ahh... Son of a..."_ He arched his back, rising to his feet as the pain slowly began to recede.

"Just my luck."

Mostly recovered from his sudden pratfall, Zeke raised a hand to his head, rubbing it gingerly as he cracked open a single eye. An instant later, both of them were open as wide as they could possibly go.

The sound of fighting and gunfire suddenly returned to the forefront of his mind, the small skirmish still ongoing as he took in what he stood at most half a dozen meters away from a superhuman brawl, Kid Flash zipping around gunfire with an almost casual ease and Miss Martian hurling gunmen back with bursts of telekinesis, sending them flying into the treeline with little care. Most importantly, the sight of Bane getting rag-dolled by Superboy on the other side of the clearing did its very best to etch itself into Zeke's mind immediately.

* * *

 **Mission "The Villain from Santa Prisca" Failed!**

* * *

" _Of course it did."_

He was pretty fine with that, considering it meant Bane wasn't a problem anymore. As tough as Bane was, any form of Superboy _had_ to be at least several magnitudes tougher. Lost mission aside, the silver lining of this confrontation happening this early meant that the team could basically rest easy with the worst of the mission dealt with.

* * *

 **Mission "Keep to Covert" Failed!**

* * *

 _What?_ Zeke blinked rapidly, staring at the words in confusion, _but I'm not figh-_ The words trailed off in his mind as he was interrupted by simultaneous twin shouts of pain and surprise off to his right, two men in camouflage clothing and face paint suddenly bursting through the tree line and falling to the jungle floor in a heap of scattered limbs.

* * *

 **Mission Gained!**

 **Battle Wary**

 _Defeat two of Bane's men on your own._

 **Success:** +1 to **[Basic Martial Arts]** , + 1 Stat Point, + 1 STR, + 750 XP

 **Failure:** Lose the fight, Call for help.

* * *

... _Of course._

Two men stared back at him in surprise as they jumped up from the jungle floor, both conscious and ready to fight and one of them still clearly armed with a gun. Zeke took a cautious step back, gaze locked on the weapon.

The gunman whipped up the black handgun and brought it to bear in an instant, finger on the trigger as Zeke's eyes widened further. "[Mana Burst!]"

* * *

 **Mana Burst Lvl Up!**

 **13→14**

* * *

The gunshot rang out, the man's arm rocking with recoil the very same instant as a roiling blue sphere of energy slammed into his face and exploded with the force of a pro boxer's punch. The bullet went wild, disappearing into the jungle but apart from a single abrupt flinch, Zeke paid no attention to it.

 **[Critical Hit!]**

Instead, he simply stared wide-eyed as the thug stumbled backward wearing a dazed expression as his nose gushed blood like a fountain. Moments later, he simply collapsed, abruptly toppling to the jungle floor like a puppet with its strings severed.

 **\+ 150 XP**

The rookie glanced up from the gunman's still form, eyes lit with excitement as he stared at the man's now shaken partner. A blue glow surrounded his palm as he took a single step forward, the weaponless thug now being the one to take a frightened step back.

Zeke raised that same glowing palm as the camouflage-wearing assailant turned to run.

He smiled.

"[Mana Burst.]"

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

 **+100 XP**

 **Mission Success!**

 **Mission "Battle Wary" Completed**

+1 to **[Basic Martial Arts]**

\+ 1 Stat Point

\+ 1 STR

\+ 750 XP

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

Less than five minutes later, Zeke found himself back again with the rest of the team, both Robin _and_ Aqualad having made a reappearance in the short while he was occupied.

Unsurprisingly, the team had handled the majority of the bad guys by themselves. Not only that, they had tied them to several trees in an attempt to keep them from escaping. It wasn't like he expected anything different from a team full of Justice Leaguers, but it was still impressive.

Especially considering who they had tied up in front of them right now.

The big bad man of Peña Duro himself.

 _Bane._

Even sitting on the ground and hogtied to a tree, the supervillain still managed to come off as intimidating. Considering he still managed to tower over his men by at least a head and a half when they were all tied together, it wasn't surprising that he managed to pull of imposing easy.

Still, for someone so tough, Zeke was honestly surprised he hadn't put up more of a fight, though. Of course, his opponent _was_ Superboy but still, Bane was a big name on his own. He had to be, considering what he did to Batman. _Wait,_ Zeke frowned, a sudden thought coming to him. _Do I know for sure that happened here?_

The teen cast a critical eye at Bane, the villain still unconscious after Superboy's furious counter. After a moment, he did the only thing that came to mind. "[Observe.]"

* * *

 **Bane Lv ?**

 **?**

 **?**

 **?**

* * *

 _As helpful as always,_ Zeke remarked to himself, shaking his head at how useless this power seemed to be on anything that wasn't a simple object. _No help there. Let's… Let's think about this. Like, rationally._

A few seconds later, he cast another glance over at the crime lord's form.

 _So... Batman gave us this mission._ His eyes narrowed as he turned to Robin and then back to Bane, glancing between them a few times as he tried to put together what he knew. _He knew Bane would be here. He also knows that if Bane gave him that much trouble, Robin couldn't handle him._

He nodded again, the line of thought beginning to make sense to him. _Robin also didn't really seem to be worried about Bane. Like at all. Which doesn't make sense. At least, not if Bane managed to wreck Batman like he did in Knightfall._ Zeke shook his head again, still unsure as he continued to stare at the luchador. _And Batman wouldn't send us up against someone that messed him up, right? Right?_

 **\+ 1 INT**

... _I'll take that as a yes._

"I recognize these uniforms."

Zeke raised his head, pulled from his thoughts as Robin spoke up, the Boy Wonder previously silent for a few minutes as he looked over the men tied to a different tree, a bunch of guys in red cloaks.

"They're with the Cult of Kobra," Robin concluded, finally turning back to face the group.

"That with two K's or one?" added Wally, the black-clad speedster wearing a grin.

Zeke wore his own grin as Aqualad leveled an unamused glare at Wally, the Atlantean turning back to face Robin after making sure his silent admonition was received. "I am certain Batman would have mentioned it if he knew a dangerous extremist was running Santa Prisca's Venom operation."

"No doubt. And considering that the Kobra kooks and these goons have it in for each other," Robin muttered, one hand on his chin, "odds are good they came in and tried to muscle in on Bane's production. Likely succeeded too, if normal supply lines ran completely dry."

"Done and done," Kid Flash added, snapping his fingers with a confident grin. "Kobra wanted super-cultists. Good job, team. Let's radio Bats and h-"

" _No._ " Robin quickly cut off whatever Wally was going to say with a single, firm word, mouth held in a tight line. "The cultists definitely aren't on Venom. I've _seen_ what it does to people," he paused for a moment to cast a quick glance at the seemingly unconscious luchador. "This fight would have been ten times harder if they were."

"Oh, come on," Wally scoffed, arms crossed over his chest. "Just cause _these_ guys aren't the ones using it, none of the crazies on the island are? Maybe their boss is keeping all the stuff for himself. You don't know."

"Exactly," Robin replied firmly, voice gaining an edge to it that Zeke couldn't help but find familiar. "I _don't_ know. So, we're not leaving. Not until I know what's going on here."

"Excuse _you._ " Kid Flash snorted and leaned forward, bending over slightly as he looked directly into Robin's masked eyes. "Until _you_ know why?"

Robin stood up straight, the timber in his voice now sounding _far_ more familiar. "This team needsa leader."

 _Wait, I thought..._ Zeke tilted his head over at Aqualad, the blonde catching his gaze almost immediately. Both sets of eyes were confused. _Guess not._

"And it's _you_?!" Kid Flash questioned, annoyance clear in his own voice as he advanced into Robin's personal space. "A thirteen-year-old kid who ducked out on us without a word?!"

"Oh, so now you're a mature fifteen?" Robin shot back with a condescending laugh, leaning forward himself. "You blew cover first chance you got. Genesis is green as grass and even he stuck to the plan!"

" _Uhhh…_ " The boy in question blinked at the sudden mention from where he stood beside Aqualad. " _…_ Thanks… I think."

"Nobody asked what you think," Wally snapped, shooting him a quick glare.

"Be like that then." Zeke spoke up again, arms crossed to match Kid Flash's posture, "I already know who's _not_ getting my vote for team leader."

"Ha!" Robin's retort came in the way of a fist-pump, Kid Flash's mouth falling open slightly as the two high-fived in front of him. "Don't burn your bridges, KF."

"You're gonna vote for _him_?" He gestured wildly towards a smirking Robin, chopping the air like a car salesman. "He doesn't even have powers!"

"Neither does Batman!" Robin jumps forward, smirk suddenly replaced by a small scowl.

"You're not Batman!"

Robin jabbed at his chest with a thumb, still advancing on Kid Flash. "Next generation right here!"

The two kept going, their back and forth surveyed by a silent Aqualad and a grinning Zeke, one of them at least partially enjoying the back-and-forth. Miss Martian and Superboy simply stood back from it all, the two murmuring about something to each other that Zeke couldn't be bothered to pay attention to. After nearly a minute of Robin and KF's back and forth, though, his smile began to fade, expression almost matching Kaldur's if not for sheer intensity. The teen let out an audible snort and raised both hands up in the air, stepping forward before Kid Flash could launch into a rant about how short people couldn't be leaders. "Guys, guys, _guys…_ "

" _ **What**_ **?** "

"Mmm-" Zeke flinched at the simultaneous shout from both costumed boys, one eye actually closing as he took a step back. " _Absolutely_ loving that stereo, but could we chill for a sec? I mean, seriously, we'll be out here all night like this."

"I know that." Robin nodded and took a few steps away from Kid Flash, mouth set in a scowl, "I really do but we kinda have to settle this now _._ This is our first mission and this team needs a leader."

"And it _can't_ be him," Kid Flash added on, quickly sharing a glare with Robin.

 _Definitely can't be you, either._ Zeke closed his eyes and let out a low breath before opening them again a moment later, mind fully made up. "Full disclosure, guys, I wouldn't pick either of you."

Simultaneous gasps of outrage came from both of them, Robin quickly pushing Wally aside as he got in Zeke's face. "Dude, you said you'd vote for me!"

"No, I said I wouldn't vote for _Wally_ ," Zeke clarified, jerking his head in the offended speedster's direction. "If it came down to a choice between both of you, sure, but not until then. If I'm being serious, this whole 'who's gonna be the leader' thing is a surprise to me," he added, eyebrows raised.

"A surprise?" Wally chose this moment to shoulder-check Robin over to the side.

"Well, duh." Rolling his eyes for a third time at the two, Zeke nodded. "I already thought we had a leader; _Aqualad_."

Zeke's announcement would have likely incited another outburst from the two sidekicks in front of him, and at least a minor one from Aqualad himself, if it were not for the sound of laughter that wafted over from the trees.

The entire team turned as one, Robin's hand already on his utility belt, to see Bane now conscious and clearly amused. If the laughter alone didn't clue them into it, the shaking shoulders did.

"Such clever niños in front of me," baited a voice that sounded like it should be followed by a riff from a Spanish guitar. "Only half the story and too busy fighting to see the rest of it."

The team stepped closer, each member taking a stance around the tree to better see Bane as he spoke, voice dripping with hidden humor. Zeke couldn't help but shudder as the man's gaze roamed across all of them, almost immediately singling him out as the weak link. "Let me show you the rest, get you into the factory via my secret entrance."

"Bad idea." The whispered words left the youngest's mouth almost on instinct, brown eyes flicking back and forth between his team members hoping someone else agreed. "Really bad idea."

No one replied, not even offering him a glance in return. When it became clear that no one actually had any ideas, M'gann seemed to take it onto herself to resolve the situation. Quickly dropping to one knee, she raised a hand to her temple and made direct eye contact with the smirking villain.

 _Good idea._ Zeke let out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding, far more at peace with his Martian teammate just ripping the information out of Bane's mind than allowing the luchador drug lord to lead them anywhere. _Martian mind powers for the win._

After a moment of silence, M'gann spoke up, voice carrying well in the virtual silence of the jungle. "There is a secret entrance… but he's also hiding something. Give me a second."

Moments after Miss Martian finished speaking, her eyes suddenly shone with a bright light, a white glow obscuring both pupils and iris as she continued to stare into Bane's eyes. It didn't do much for Zeke's nerves that the villain didn't seem fazed in the slightest, amused expression still firmly in place.

If anything, it continued to get even more smug as the seconds ticked by.

It took at most ten seconds before Miss Martian gave up, the girl letting out an annoyed sigh as her eyes closed and the hand on her temple came down. "He's mentally reciting fútbol scores... en Español, not giving me a second to dive into what he's really thinking. Primitive… but ingenious." She paused for a moment to glance up at the boys, a slightly concerned look on her face. "This could take a while."

 _No. Please. No. This is obviously a trap._ Just as Zeke began to dread the idea of his team seriously considering Bane's offer, his heart rate already speeding up, is when the man in question spoke up again, smile still in place. "It's not complicated. At least, it doesn't have to be. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

 _That is literally what a bad guy would say before betraying you._

Aqualad and Robin shared another meaningful glance, Kid Flash's gaze darting between the both of them as if expecting one of his own. When neither of them turned to him, he simply folded his arms, a slight scowl on his face. M'gann rose up from her kneeling position as Superboy stepped forward, shooting Aqualad an expectant – albeit somewhat aloof – look as he spoke up. "So, are we doing this or what?"

There was silence for a few long seconds, each one of them looking at each other.

"If we're taking requests," Zeke raised a hand as he spoke up, "Wally kinda had a good idea before. I mean, no offense but _why don't we_ just call Batman and report back what we know?"

"Dude!" Robin shot him a look as Wally pumped his fist beside the bird-themed sidekick. "Pick a side already."

" _That_ is a possibility," Aqualad interjected, giving the youngest of them a slight nod as he spoke over Robin. "However, Batman made it clear that the League has no jurisdiction in Santa Prisca. Returning to him without any knowledge as to where all this Venom is being shipped to would provide him with no information that he wouldn't already have pieced together himself."

"Except for the news about Kobra, right?" added Miss Martian.

Aqualad nodded. "With one exception, yes."

" _Okay,"_ Zeke said, somewhat tight-lipped as he looked up at the blond. "I'm… Honestly, I'm up for any plan that doesn't involve working with Bane to pull off."

"Look, Gen... " Robin paused as he said those two words, waiting as Zeke's eyes settled on him. "If it makes you feel any better, _Batman_ gave us this mission," Robin snapped back. "The big guy never takes a mission lightly, and I mean _never_. Not on his birthday, not on Jesus's birthday, and certainly not on mine. So, if he sent us here," Robin paused to let out a low breath, closing his eyes for a second before opening them again. "If he sent us here, it's because he knows we can cut it."

" _Awwwwww_ , Uncle Batman does care." Kid Flash chose that moment to undercut Robin's words, the speedster sending a smirk at the shorter boy.

As usual, Aqualad chose to ignore the non-serious words that left the mouth of his red-haired friend. "Then let us not disappoint him."

With that said, Aqualad turned to face Bane, the Atlantean giving both Robin and the tied-up villain a silent nod of approval.

* * *

 **Mission Gained!**

 **Anathemic Alliance**

 _Follow Bane's lead into the warehouse and discover what Kobra wants with the Venom._

 **Success:** +2,000 XP

 **Failure:** None

 **Bonus:** _Ensure that Bane doesn't get the chance to betray you._

* * *

Zeke felt his shoulders slump. _Of course._

 **– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

 **Ezekiel Patrick Armstrong**

 **Title:** None  
 **  
Level 4**

 **XP:** 1275/1500

 **Age:** 13

 **HP:** 460/460

 **MP:** 150/150

 **Will:** 155/155

 **STR:** 29

 **SPD:** 32

 **VIT:** 32

 **INT:** 30

 **WIS:** 9

 **CHA:** 12

 **Stat Points:** 1

 **Cash:** $375


	17. Emergence 2-5

**Emergence 2.5**

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

The masked villain's path led them through the jungle all the way to the very top of a cliff overlooking the factory producing Bane's drug of choice, the team easily able to see a great deal of movement from the vantage point. Stepping even closer to the edge of the cliff, Kid Flash dropped his goggles over his eyes again and Robin - never failing to be as prepared as his mentor - brought out a pair of binoculars that Zeke doubted were simply all they appeared to be. Aqualad simply looked on, eyes adapted to dim undersea conditions likely serving him just as well as a pair of binoculars could.

While the three of them surveyed the Kobra activity down at the warehouse, Miss Martian, Superboy and Genesis were focused on the criminal activity just a few meters away from them, each of them keeping strict watch on their villain companion.

"Look at all that product." Robin muttered aloud. The shock was clear in his tone as he leaned forward over the edge, binoculars pressed firmly against his face. By his side, Kid Flash mimicked his motions, going so far as to drop to one knee to lean even further out. "A buy is going down but if Kobra's not selling to the usual suspects, then-"

"Then, we make it our priority to identify that buyer," Aqualad concluded for Robin, voice firm with conviction.

"Just what I was thinking." Kid Flash added in a much deeper voice than usual, the ginger raising his goggles as he stood up straight. "Exactly what I was thinking."

"Yeah, sure," Robin shot back as he turned away from the precipice. He let out a snort as he began folding away his binoculars to return them back to his utility belt. "You're definitely the thinker here."

"Dude!" Kid Flash's retort went ignored by everyone present as they followed after Bane, the villain coming to a stop in front of a boulder that stood both taller and wider than himself.

" _Jesus Christ_..."If anyone noticed Zeke's whispered exclamation or his quick backstep, they didn't say a word. Instead, none of them seemed all that surprised as Bane bent slightly and lifted the boulder, dropping it away from the opening to what was apparently Bane's secret entrance. The idea that Bane was this strong without Venom and they either already knew that or were fine with it was…

Well, it didn't put him anymore at ease, to say the least.

"Come on," Bane spoke up again, one arm gesturing towards the mining tunnel. "Answers are this way."

"So, we're really going down a dark tunnel behind a supervillain just 'cause he said he wants to help us?" Zeke asked, wide-eyed as Bane headed into the tunnel ahead of them. "Is that _really_ what we're doing?"

Robin shrugged as he began to walk forward. "Seems like it, yeah."

The boy in blue couldn't help the visible twitch in his left eye at Robin's flippant response. Zeke took in several sharp breaths through his nose before letting out a much steadier release of air from his mouth. He mimicked Robin's shrug through the fake smile on his face. " _Okay_ , just asking."

"See," Wally began, tilting his head in Zeke's direction. "If I were leader, I'd nev-"

"Not the time." Aqualad's hand on his shoulder did the job in quieting Wally as much as it pushed the speedster into the cave behind Robin. The dark-skinned Atlantean didn't waste a moment as he entered the cave himself, Miss Martian and Superboy following him right after.

Still wavering at the entrance, Zeke gave the boulder one last glance, the rookie suppressing a shiver as he thought about how heavy that thing had to be, before he followed the team – and Bane – into the mine. _I swear to God, if I die..._

Surprisingly, it didn't take all that long before they came to the end of the underground path. A metal door stood in front of them, some sort of panel directly next to it on the wall. Stepping forward, Bane placed his thumb on the dark panel, a light above the panel flashing from red to green in the space of a few seconds.

With a pneumatic hiss, the door opened up to expose an even more dimly lit locker room, with yet another door at the very end. Robin and Aqualad share another look as Bane cracks the door slightly, allowing for a sliver of light and the sound of distant machinery to make its way into their current location.

The Boy Wonder steps up beside Bane, the both of them glancing out into the factory while everyone else hung back beside them.

"All clear." The whispered words left Robin at the same exact moment he jumped out of the locker room, the rest of the team following behind him with Bane at their side.

A few seconds later, the group was making their way between large chemical vats, confused expressions on their face as they glanced from side to side.

"Ugh," Kid Flash spoke up, face-palming as he realized something. "Not again."

"How is that even _possible_?" Zeke was the second to speak, voice hushed as he glanced over his shoulder yet again. Somehow, despite all of them following right behind him, the Boy Wonder had vanished from sight. " _Seriously,_ he was _right_ in front of us."

"Has that little bird already been caught?"

"No," Aqualad replied back. He turned his head to the side, barely repressing an exasperated sigh as he continued speaking. "He just does that."

" _Somehow_ ," Zeke added on with a shrug.

"You guys stay put," Kid Flash cut in, sliding his goggles over his eyes once more. "I'll get us the intel we need and be back before bird boy." As usual, by the time the last syllable left his mouth, Kid Flash had already begun to speed away.

"Kid, wait!" Aqualad's words, as loud as he could feasibly make them, were pointless. Kid Flash either didn't hear or didn't care about what Aqualad had to say, already a gray blur as he zipped around the corner. The Atlantean's hand dropped down to his side, the sigh he had been repressing finally spilling out as he shut his eyes.

Zeke raised an eyebrow behind his borrowed domino mask, trying very hard to suppress the smile creeping across his face before Aqualad spotted it. _So that's what I looked like._

Bane let out a smug chuckle at Aqualad's attempt at stopping the already out-of-sight speedster, before turning to the rest of them with a smug smile. "Great chain of command."

Aqualad did nothing more than narrow his eyes at the mocking comment, self-discipline clearly preventing him from retaliating. Superboy, on the other hand, had no such compunctions, the brash clone quickly stepping into Bane's personal space with a snarl on his face. " _Cállate, cabrón._ "

Bane simply continued doing what he did best, which seemed to revolve entirely around being smug, as he shot Superboy a patronizing smile and raised his hands in mock surrender.

Unsurprisingly, Superboy wasn't mollified by that.

"Just knock him out again. Who would blame you?" Zeke muttered under his breath, secretly hoping that Superboy would hear him and actually act on the motivation. "I mean, _I wouldn't_."

While Superboy may have been the intended target for his message, the clone wasn't the only one who managed to overhear it. The dark-skinned Atlantean turned his narrowed eyes to Zeke at this, the younger boy quickly turning his head aside as if searching for whoever might have just spoken.

This time, Aqualad actually did let out a sigh, shaking his head for a moment before quickly composing himself as he rattled off a new set of orders to what remained of his team… and Bane. Quickly moving according to the Atlantean's commands, the team crept towards the sounds of nearest activity, loud voices in the distance barely heard over the din of heavy machinery. With the vast door to the warehouse in sight, the teens quickly ducked behind a waist-high wall of crates, only the top of their heads visible as they peeked over.

Aqualad's eyes visibly widened, an incredible measure of expressiveness from him, as he took in everything being stored and moved from one place to another. Said green eyes darted over a forklift as it crossed his field of vision, mouth coming down into a tight line before he spoke again. "It's a massive shipment."

 _Well, duh._ Zeke raised an eyebrow behind his borrowed domino mask as he stifled a snort, still shaking his head at his leader's astute observation as he turned back to glance at each of the cowl-wearing criminals. The ones currently loading newly packed up cases onto the forklift, in particular.

Picking one of the men entirely on a whim, Zeke narrowed his eyes as he focused on a single thought. [ _Observe_ ].

* * *

 **Derek Baker** **Lv 10**

 **Kobra: Lancehead**

 **HP:** 350/350

 _A former Blackgate prisoner convicted for murder._

 _Became a Kobra cultist while serving his sentence. Likes Kobra._

 _Hates most Non-Kobra related things._

* * *

 _Again. So useful._ He made to roll his eyes again but paused after a moment, turning his head to note Superboy as the clone remarked about something he found peculiar in response to Kaldur's obvious statement.

"They're only taking new product off the line," Superboy noted, receiving narrowed eyes from Aqualad and a questioning one from Zeke. "See," one solid arm gestured out towards a warehouse laden with stacked cartons already closed and labelled. "They're not touching any of the pre-made stuff."

Zeke's gaze slid over to Bane, the man in question just a few feet from the team, all six feet and more of the man concealed in the shadow of crates stacked several feet high. The sidekick licked suddenly dry lips and suppressed the urge to gulp as he spoke up. "Any guess as to why that is… uh, _señor?_ "

"What?" Bane scoffed, arms folded over his chest as he leaned back. The rest of the team fixed gazes on him, the man only shrugging in response. "You think when Kobra stole my factory, they were kind enough to share their plans with me?"

"...Fair enough."

With an unsatisfied sigh, Zeke glanced back at the moving operation as M'gann fielded another question towards their criminal associate. _Something's fishy here and it's not just the cult crazies. What's so special about that new Venom?_ Gaze locking onto one of the red cases stacked on top of multiple pallets, Zeke's eyes narrowed, iris and pupils overlayed by a vibrant blue for the second time as he focused his attention. [ _Observe_ ].

* * *

 **Kobra-Venom**

A chemical compound created by Kobra-affiliated scientists based on a combination of the neo-steroid, Venom, and the CADMUS-made Project Blockbuster formula. The resulting mix is three times stronger than Venom and just as permanent as Blockbuster, with the added result of being much safer for the user. Transforms user into a large, musclebound monster and hardens bodily tissues to provide enhanced durability.

 **Enhances STR by 3000% — 5000%**

Grants Trait: **Musclebound**

Grants Trait: **Tempered Hide**

Grants Trait: **Roid Rage**

Grants Trait: **Insensitive**

* * *

 _Is… is that… Is that stuff Titan?_ He blinked at the errant thought, frowning as he recalled some kind of super-Venom made from regular Venom and something else from… from… _Wait, where exactly do I know that from?_

He blinked again, answers not coming to mind despite the images of what looked like a bonafide horror show he could suddenly recall. _Like Grey Hulk with a really bad skin condition._ Zeke let out a fearful shudder as he glanced at exactly how much Tit- _**Kobra-Venom**_ that the henchmen had at hand if a fight broke out, images still sitting front and center in his mind. _I swear to God, if I die here…_ The thirteen-year old pulled a face, expression tight as he tried not to finish that sentence in his head. _Well, it would suck real hard._

* * *

 **Observe Lvl Up!**

 **9→10**

* * *

The powerful sound of spinning rotors shattered his concentration as a helicopter buzzed over the roof of the warehouse at that very moment, leaving Zeke confused as to whether the sudden twitch in his left eye was the fault of simple surprise or irritation at just how overblown this simple recon mission had become. He knew what he would bet on, if it came down to it.

Zeke turned to his left to give his team leader a worried glance, the person in question glancing down as he noticed the look in his periphery. As they made eye contact, the younger boy spoke up, voice still hushed, "So, I know you technically never accepted the job, but… _well_." He paused for a moment, shrugging as he wondered if this was the time to draw the line in the sand.

 _Might as well_ , he decided after a second. _Robin's too young and Superboy is like five months old, I think. M'gann's not exactly all that confident in her decisions and Wally's…_ _ **Wally.**_

Shaking his head, Zeke decided that it might as well be Kaldur. "You got a plan for us… _boss_?"

Superboy and Miss Martian turned at the question, both glancing down towards Zeke before giving Kaldur expectant looks of their own, already accepting him as their de facto leader with that action.

There was a pregnant silence as Aqualad chose not to answer at first, instead staring back at his team with an imperceptible expression. After a long moment, he gave them all a firm nod, expression barely changing as he accepted the position.

Zeke nodded back. _Glad that's settled._

The Atlantean raised a hand to his ear, body angled slightly away from the team as he spoke up. "Aqualad to Robin. Do you read me?"

A moment later, he uttered the same words in reference to Kid Flash, a slight scowl marring his expression as he was met with the same failure. The blond let out a huff, unable to hide the annoyance in his voice as well as he did his face. "It seems that comms are down."

Holding back a sigh, he turned his attention back to his team.

" _If_ we are going to make a move," Aqualad spoke up once more, craning his neck upwards as the noise of the helicopter drew ever closer, the rotors slowing down as the vehicle began its descent, "we must first gain some information. Miss Martian? Two tasks."

The girl in question perked up at the mention of her name, letting out a vaguely questioning sound as Aqualad pointed a single figure up, gesturing towards the factory ceiling. "One, acquire the identity of our new arrivals while unseen. Two, report back with a mental message."

"No problem!" The words left her mouth a single moment before she simply faded from sight, Zeke's eyes going wide as he was treated to his first display of said power. Before he could raise a hand to poke around the air where the green girl had just been, Aqualad's hushed voice forced the kid to refocus his attention.

"As for the rest of u-" Whatever Aqualad was gonna say next was suddenly interrupted by a sudden kicked up plume of dust and a blur, the actual words in the air drowned out by a far less quiet but all-too familiar voice as it made itself known.

" _Hey,_ where'd Miss M go?"

Before they could react to Kid Flash's sudden appearance, the redhead jerking his head from side to side with a confused expression on his face, another familiar voice cut in to the conversation and replied in their place.

"Beats me. Think she went invisible?"

Zeke had barely been able to fight back a flinch when Kid Flash had zoomed in, the appearance as unexpected as it was unwanted, but Robin appearing _right behind him_ nearly forced a scream out of him from sheer surprise.

Clamping a hand over his own mouth before he could shriek their location to any of the armed Kobras in the vicinity, Zeke whirled around and shot both boys a dark look, forcing himself to convey as much irritation as he could manage in a single expression.

Before he could say anything to drive home how annoyed he was, Aqualad rounded on both Kid Flash and Robin, the stoic Atlantean outdoing Zeke's impotent glare with a simple narrowing of his eyes. In a hushed voice, he began to question both boys, asking, "Where have you been? The both of you."

"I'm pretty sure it was _some_ kind of command center," Robin replied back, signature smirk still in place. "Exactly what kind I'm not sure, _but_ it was science related so I figured I was in the right place."

"Yeah, it was this computer room full of all the plans for Venom," Kid Flash chimed in, raising his chin slightly as he used a finger and a thumb to cup the underside of it. "Little Rob needed my help here to figure out what they were doing so I graciously offered my assistance."

"Your help. _Really?_ " The boy wearing the same colors as a traffic light swiveled his head to give his teammate a dull look. "As if I wasn't about to figure it out myself."

Kid Flash smirked back, a hand coming up to fiddle with his goggles. "Sure, but we'd still be stuck up there waiting for that to happen. Plus, I took out that Kobra guy before you could."

"Only cause you used your speed to beat me there," Robin bit back, index finger just inches away from poking the speedster in the chest.

"Don't get mad at me for pulling my weight," Kid Flash sniffed, raising his chin even higher to look down at Robin. "You know, like a real _leader._ "

"Okay, first of all…" Robin reared up again at Kid Flash's words, the younger boy clearly about to restart their hushed argument from before when he found himself interrupted as a pair of strong hands dropped on both his and Kid Flash's shoulders, Aqualad pulling Robin back while Superboy did the same for Kid Flash. From the looks on their faces, such a grip with Atlantean or Kryptonian strength was far from comfortable and it was clear that neither Aqualad nor Superboy seemed to care much about comfort.

"There will be no more of this," Aqualad intoned firmly, meeting Robin's eyes with a tight glare. "A true leader does not vanish and leave his team without direction or guidance," he paused to level a much firmer glare at Kid Flash, the redhead rubbing his shoulders as he groused under his breath, "And a leader _certainly_ does not to seek to incite discord among his teammates or run off without conferring with them."

Robin winced at that, turning his head away as he let out a slight groan. "...What, you guys can't manage without someone holding your hand?"

Superboy turned his own glare over to Robin at that thoughtless statement, the Boy Wonder flinching under the combined glare of both his more intimidating teammates even as Zeke shrugged and went, "To be fair..."

Zeke found himself shrugging again as Aqualad's stern expression turned to him, shoulders saying everything that his mouth couldn't.

"Fine, I guess…" Robin finally grumbled under his breath as Aqualad returned to him, words barely perceptible as he worked a groan into each and every syllable. One gloved hand brushed the side of his face as he spoke up again, words much clearer this time. "I'm sorry for vanishing, okay?"

"If it counts, I'm sorry too," Kid Flash added a quick moment later, dashing in between Robin and Aqualad and waving his hands around. "At least for whatever I did that got me manhandled. Seriously, Supey, any harder and you might dislocate something. _Jeez._ "

"At least we vanished for a good cause, though," Robin chimed in again, smirk returning to his face as he shot Kid Flash a knowing look. "We figured out what Kobra's using all this Venom for, some sort of permanent super-steroid mixed with Project Blockbuster. They call it K-"

"Kobra-Venom, right?"

Every face turned to the shortest out of all of them, Zeke's hushed voice grabbing their attention with a suddenness that he really hadn't expected. After a moment of silence, he spoke up again, already wishing he had kept his mouth shut in the first place. "Uhhhh… I mean, that _is_ the name, r-right?"

He blinked rapidly, leaning back slightly as Kid Flash suddenly rounded on him. "Yeah, but we had to go through Kobra's files for that info. How do _you_ know that?"

If Zeke had ever been wondering whether domino masks could narrow suspiciously, he had his answer as he came face to face with The Boy Wonder again as Robin lightly shoved Kid Flash out of the way. "That's a really good question, KF. What's the answer, Zeke?"

"It… It's… It's kinda part of my powers…" Zeke managed to get out, deciding he might as well go with the truth on this one. "I can sometimes see facts or information about things or people if I focus when I look at them."

Robin tilted his head. "You mean like, some kind of vision-based psychometry?"

Zeke blinked again, confusion clear on his face. "I don't really know what that word means but _… sure_?"

Kid Flash pulled a face as Robin and Aqualad shared a look, each one of them carrying differing amounts of disbelief in their expression. After a moment, the speedster let out a scoff and leaned forward, "If you ask me, that sounds like a huge load of b-"

"He's telling the truth."

Like Aqualad's, Superboy's voice had a certain intensity to it that even when speaking as low as he was right now, it almost seemed to overpower any other. In this case, Kid Flash's words were steamrolled as Superboy cut in with four simple words.

The half-alien nodded towards Zeke as Aqualad, Robin and Kid Flash turned to look over at him, a question clear on their faces. Superboy frowned slightly as he continued speaking, arms folded over his chest. "I saw his eyes glow twice when he was looking over at the boxes of Venom. He's always glowing half the time so I didn't really think about it."

' _See?_ ' Zeke mouthed and Kid Flash waved an irritated hand back at him in response. Before the speedster could say anything else, Aqualad palmed Wally's chest and pushed him away from Zeke with an almost casual motion, superior strength allowing him the ease.

"Quiet," he scolded, the instruction clearly intended for more than just Kid Flash. He raised a hand to his head, wincing for a moment before both eyes quickly shut. " _Sportsmaster_. Sportsmaster is the buyer." The sentence came out almost as a hiss as the Atlantean opened his eyes, Robin and Kid Flash repeating the name with various levels of recognition.

"Sportsmaster?" Superboy's head tilted to convey confusion as clearly as Zeke's one-word question did. "Who's Sportsmaster?"

"Sportsmaster's the buyer?" Robin spoke up again, either not hearing or purposely ignoring his teammate's question. "Definitely didn't expect that."

"No, seriously, who _is_ Sportsmaster?" Zeke repeated, still waiting on an answer as he looked between Aqualad and Robin. _I swear the name rings a bell but also… not really._

"Another one of a long line of assassins with a gimmick. For some reason, the weirdo chose Olympic equipment as his thing." Kid Flash's hand went to his chin again as he spoke up to answer Zeke's query. "What I don't get is what a guy like him is doing buying super steroids?"

"Other than the obvious reason, of course," Robin quipped, smirk still plastered across his face. "Guy's been around since before all of us were born. Those type of gains can't be natural at his age."

"Enough! Enough talking," Aqualad intoned, eyeing each one of his team members as he pulled away from the crates they had been hiding behind. "We need a plan and we need one now."

Superboy chose this moment to make himself heard again, voice quieting the other boys with ease. "Someone should have told Bane that, then."

Aqualad, Robin, Kid Flash and Genesis whirled around to face the large stack of crates the luchador had been hiding behind, four sets of eyes going wide in unison as they realized the large man had vanished.

Dawning horror began to fall on Zeke, his left eye twitching as he realized what was likely to come next. _I really should have expected this, considering..._

* * *

 **Mission Success!**

 **Mission "Anathemic Alliance" Completed**

 **+2,000 XP**

 **Bonus: Failed!**

* * *

 **Level Up!**

 **You are now Level 5.**

 **\+ 5 Stat Points**

* * *

 _Goddammit_ _! I mean, yes! I mean…_ The sidekick felt his brain grind to a near halt as he found himself struggling to process the simultaneous annoyance and excitement running through his mind on parallel tracks. _Ugh, I hate this whole mission._

A split-second later, the sound of rapid gunfire echoed through the warehouse, immediately followed by the indistinct yelling of several Kobra guards. All in all, Zeke had very little time to feel sorry for himself. _I really hate this mission._

Kaldur spat out a stream of words that absolutely _had_ to be Atlantean expletives of some sort, considering the severe look of annoyance on the older teen's face. Without wasting a moment, their new leader reached behind his shoulders and pulled his arms forward quickly in one swift motion, water-bearers now in his grip. "Temporary plan: Neutralize Kobra and Sportsmaster. Move!"

The Atlantean's tattoos lit up with a bright glow as he leapt out from behind cover, water already forming on his signature weapons. Kid Flash and Robin were already gone, Robin vaulting up and vanishing over the cartons with his signature creepy laugh and Kid Flash blurring away in front of Zeke's eyes. Other than Genesis, Superboy was the only one left, the casually-dressed clone shooting a backwards glance at the other boy just an instant before he would have charged in.

* * *

 **Mission Gained!**

 **Kobras are Venomous**

Assist your team in taking on Kobra and his minions.

Ensure Kobra is defeated and make sure your team is in one piece.

 **Success:** 5000 XP, Venom x 25, Kobra-Venom x 5, Kobra Kultist Kowl x 5

 **Failure:** Kobra Escapes, Team Death

 **Bonus:** Apprehend Bane

* * *

As the sounds of fighting reached a quick crescendo with the three boys' dynamic entrance, Zeke found himself letting out a groan of raw frustration, hands like claws at his sides as he tried to figure out how a _covert_ mission had become the complete opposite.

A hail of bullets tore through a shipping container just meters from his head, the young sidekick flinching back at the explosion of wood splinters and the ear-splitting noise with a yelp as curled fingers clutched tightly at his close-trimmed scalp. It was surprise more than fear, but it certainly didn't ease his nerves. _I swear to God I am not ready for any of this._

"Zeke!"

A voice. Superboy.

The jumpsuit-clad teen glanced up, the whites of Robin's borrowed mask widening with his eyes as he found himself staring at his half-human teammate, Superboy wearing his usual grim expression. "Huh?"

"Just… J-just stay behind me!" There was signs of internal struggle on his face as he edged forward, periodically glancing over at the fight and back to Zeke. The other boy couldn't begin to determine what the cause of said struggle actually was, and he was in no mood to give the issue any real thought. "Stay out of the way and try not to get hurt!"

The relief he felt in his chest couldn't be put into words, Zeke's face lighting up with a bright grin at Superboy's words. Flashing the clone a thumbs up as he stood up to his full height, he replied, "You go-"

Whatever general confirmation he would have given Superboy back was quickly replaced with a scream so high-pitched it would have been insulting to call it girlish, Zeke's hopeful mood replaced with instant terror as nearly eight feet of monstrous, leathery and ugly muscle burst through a window with an animalistic roar and shoulder-checked Superboy _through_ the factory wall.

* * *

 **[Paralyzing Fear]** negated by Gamer's Mind.

* * *

An half-instant later, the young sidekick's fear was gone before he could even conceptualize it. Mind suddenly clearer than it had been the last few hours, Zeke acted on instinct and sprang back immediately, all the force in his lower body transferred into a sudden backwards jump that carried him several feet before he even realized it. He fell to the ground in a heap a second later, mask widening with his eyes as an arm roughly the size of his _entire_ body plunged down into the ground right where he had just been standing, shaking the ground and leaving a sizable crater at the point of impact.

Instincts borne of practice taking over, Genesis swung a glowing blue hand out in front of him, voice jumping several octaves as he screamed the first three syllables that came to mind. A shifting sphere of blue energy, roughly the size of a softball, shot from the young side-kick's open palm and rushed towards the leather-skinned monster and struck the giant in the face, the resulting basketball-sized explosion… barely making the thing flinch.

Zeke's eyes widened again, left one twitching beneath his mask. _I really_ _ **really**_ _hate_ _this mission._

* * *

 **Mana Burst Lvl Up!**

 **13→14**

* * *

"All points to speed!" Even as he felt his quick movement become both faster and easier to maintain all of a sudden, his thin chest still heaved up and down as he backpedaled further away from the figure. Turning his back to it seemed like a terrible idea, considering he wouldn't be able to dodge what he couldn't see. Whatever it was pulled its grotesque arm from the floor, chips and flakes of concrete launched free from the extraction falling to the ground like a rather dull hailstorm. _Not good._

The sidekick took a worried step back, instincts screaming at him to run, but he felt himself pausing instead, thoughts almost frozen to a halt as something seemed to click in his mind. Genesis made to shake his head but stopped before he could, blinking as a cheery voice sounded off in his mind with perfect clarity.

[ _Everyone online?_ ]

[ _Yes. Thank you, M'gann._ ]

[ _Your voice sounds even prettier like this, y'know._ ]

[ _Kinda busy over here. Mind keeping chit-chat to a minimum?_ ]

[ _Help needed! About to die by monster man! SOS! SOS!_ ]

[ _Hn… On it._ ]

Zeke's mood rose somewhat at the sound of Superboy's mental message, even with the dislike for the method of communication clear in his tone. It immediately sunk again as the monster man roared again and charged forward, lumbering form crossing nearly half a dozen meters faster than the sidekick would have thought possible for anything that big. Strong, durable, _and_ fast… the absolute worst trifecta he could imagine as a match-up for himself right now.

The boy in blue dove to his right with barely a second to spare as what had to be at least five hundred pounds of monster muscle barreled past him with ground-shaking force and crashed bodily into another stack of crates. Eyes widening at the second near-miss, Genesis hand's dug at the concrete as he scrambled back again, legs feeling like jelly in the face of rapidly rising panic. _Very not good!_

Focusing on the feel of Miss Martian's mental link in his head, Genesis blared another mental message toward his team. [ _Seriously. I need back-up! Like, all the back-up!_ ]

Met with no response, the sidekick forced himself to his feet again as rumbling made itself heard, an ominous sound made only more threatening by the noise of splintering wood and cracking concrete. A second later and a face only a mother could love burst from the wooden wreckage, crates sent flying as the rest of him quickly followed.

* * *

 **[Paralyzing Fear]** negated by Gamer's Mind.

* * *

Calm fought back the fear before it could take hold, the boy quickly turning his back to the beast behind him as he took off. Thin legs pumped like mad out of the simple urge for survival, Zeke running for all he was worth as he focused his gaze on the wall in front of him. The sound of his own heart pounding in his ears as adrenaline flooded his body was almost enough to render him deaf but he didn't dare slow down for even half a second.

His small form darted past a shocked Kobra goon at Olympic speeds, the armed man letting out a shattered scream that faded away very quickly as the monster made its way past him. The ground trembled underneath Zeke's feet, the sensation of a living earthquake drawing closer with every thunderous footfall behind him, a heavy breath transitioning into a triumphant roar as a massive palm reached out to sw-

[ _Power Sprint!_ ]

Zeke breathed in deep on his next inhale, body responding to the focused thought immediately. Gentle warmth suffused his lower body in an instant as he leapt several feet into the air, bounding up into the wall in front of him and kicking off the moment his soles made contact with the surface of it.

* * *

 **Acrobatics Lvl Up!**

 **3→4**

* * *

 **Skill Created!**

 **Power Leap Lv 1**

* * *

 **Power Leap Lvl Up!**

 **1→5**

* * *

 **Power Leap Lv 5**

 _Jump good._

Using your inherent physical energy, jump higher than you ever could before.

 **Magnitude:** 150% base standing/running jump height/distance

 **Cost:** 10 Will

* * *

 **-8**

 **-4**

 **-2**

 **-1**

 **-1**

Unsure of how to safely land, he hit the ground with an audible grunt, tumbling somewhat as his knee and and shoulder took the brunt of the impact with the hard concrete. Ignoring the already fading pain, Genesis gritted his teeth and glanced over his shoulder to watch a massive form surge headfirst into the wall with a thunderous crash. _Yes!_

An excited yell burst from the sidekick's open mouth far too early as the monster roared loudly and burst back into the factory, covering the distance between itself and Zeke in about a second. Raw shock froze him in place yet again as the beast surged in front of him with unexpected speed and that mammoth fist came down, Zeke instinctively raising his arms as he flinched in expectation of imminent pain.

The impact was thunderous, that of flesh against unyielding flesh.

"Didn't... I tell you…" A grunt interrupted the words, two competing vocal chords making similar sounds of struggle. "Didn't I say to…"

 _What…_ Zeke opened his eyes, blinking in shock as he witnessed his half-Kryptonian teammate interlocked in a shoulder grapple with the monster, the clone actually struggling somewhat for the first time when it came to a feat of strength. "Superboy!"

"Didn't I say to…" Conner repeated the same words again, face twisting for a moment before he suddenly let go of the monster and ceased the grapple, the beast stumbling directly into the cloned boy's fist as a result, "STAY!" A punch. "OUT!" Another. "OF! THE! WAY!"

A third, fourth and fifth were delivered in sequence, each blow more powerful than the last as the monster was rocked from side to side. Still, it didn't go down, instead delivering a blow of its own to Superboy with a guttural roar, one that the other boy simply shrugged off before returning the favor twofold.

In between punches and grunts, Superboy managed to shoot Zeke a glare. "What are you waiting for?!" He jumped up and slammed the leathery monster in the face with a hammer-fist, raining blows on the thing's skull from his perch around it's shoulders. "Get out of here already!"

" _Got it!_ " The thirteen-year-old didn't bother arguing with the irate clone, quickly drawing on a second [Power Sprint] without looking back. His enhanced speed propelled him back towards the front of the factory in seconds where he saw, to some shock, that the entire loading area was now littered with downed cultists, the entire battle now centered in this one area. He nearly stopped out of sheer surprise, golden glow shuddering around his lower body as his focus wavered.

" _Holy…_ "

To call it anything less than an open free-for-all would be an insult to the battle taking place in front of him, bodies of unconscious cultists scattered in open heaps. Across the ground and in the air, Kid Flash and Miss Martian darted from place to place, the both of them adding to that number every minute. Aqualad by himself was facing off against several armed Kobras, the Atlantean using a single water-bearer to form a tall aqueous shield in front of him as he shot powerful blasts of compacted water with the other.

Robin was nowhere to be seen as Zeke dashed through the fighting, staying as far clear of the gunfire as he could manage. Even then, there were far too many to look out for at once. Darting around pillars, he could feel his breath hitch as his chest tightened like a vise every single time a bullet shot past, around, or anywhere _near_ his person, fear almost forcing him to stop once or twice.

It was only the knowledge that stopping would kill him quicker than anything else that kept him mobile and on the run. Unfortunately, though, there were a few that were a bit more stubborn than most. One in particular…

"Dieeee!" A red-cowled goon jumped out from behind a thick pillar, rifle at the ready.

" _Aaah!_ [Mana Burst!]"

The blast of energy shot from his open hand the instant the the words left his lips, bright blue light exploding against the man's face with a sickening crack and a scream of pain. Zeke couldn't help the full-body flinch that came over him as the man's hand flew up with his rifle held tight. It was instinct that propelled his limb forward, right hand snapping out to push the danger away. Diverting it away from him, he couldn't help but let out a half-terrified, half-angry scream as the rifle spat out bullets, each one a thunderous roar as hot lead burst out of the weapon's smoking end.

Teeth gritted below his black-rimmed mask, Zeke screamed out three syllables at the top of his lungs and thrust his glowing fist forward into the shooter's already-broken nose. "[Power Strike!]" The man's head rocked back from the force of the hit, cowl falling away from his face as he stumbled. Before he could right himself, the sidekick swung again with a glowing fist and watched his hand sink into the cultist's stomach.

* * *

 **\+ 200 XP**

 **\+ Kobra Kultist Kowl**

* * *

 **Power Strike Lvl Up!**

 **5→6**

* * *

 **Basic Martial Arts Lvl Up!**

 **3→4**

* * *

His chest heaved again as the armed cultist fell to the floor, heavy breathing not from neither mental or physical exhaustion but an entirely different kind of stress altogether. _What happened to covert?_ Shaking his head at the entirely rhetorical question, Genesis made to start moving again only for his eyes to go wide as he caught sight of something heading his way fast.

A moment after the kid ducked for cover, two burly figures slammed into a pillar just a few meters away from him, the forceful impact actually managing to dent the structure. The first figure was obviously Bane, the supervillain easily identifiable from even a distance considering his distinct appearance. The reason for the dent in the pillar was also self-evident given that Genesis had already paid witness to the criminal's rather impressive physical abilities and each additional strike the steroid-using luchador buried into the other figure's gut only buried that knowledge further into his mind.

As for the man Bane was currently beating down, he was tall and rather strongly built, his figure likely one that anyone would call intimidating if he wasn't dwarfed by the mountain of muscle that was Bane. Metal plates adorned his left arm, arm and elbow plates on both of his upper limbs as well. In addition to that, he also wore a gray hockey mask over his face, short blond hair barely visible around the edges of it.

All that protection didn't seem to do the man any favors as Bane suplexed him into a stack of wooden crates, shattering the wood in its entirety. The breath seemed to leave the armored man's chest in a mighty groan, his body clearly spent. Bane moved closer to his fallen victim, dropping his boot onto the man's chest to force the air from his lungs again. "Your skills are weak, your will unfocused and your weapons… inadequate. I would say I envy your strength but that would be a lie, ¿no?"

He bent over and tore a large silver case hanging from the blond man's utility belt. Quickly opening the thing, Bane paused to take in the contents only to let out his distinctive, smug laugh just seconds later. Shutting the metal case again, he glanced back down at the man literally beneath his boot and grinned again. "Maybe next time, Sportsmaster, you can live up to your name and show me proper sport."

With that said, Bane took off, moving at a speed that belied his bulk as he rushed past the ongoing combat around him on a path directly towards the open factory door

 _So that's Sportsmaster._ Genesis' gaze dropped to the man on the ground before quickly darting back to Bane's retreating form. _And that's definitely Kobra Venom in that case._ He glanced around at the fight around him, watching his teammates wade past or divert rifle fire as they took down a small army of robed cultists. _So my options are fighting an army of crazy people with guns or one strong guy?_

His left eye twitched for what felt like the hundredth time that night as he looked back up again at Bane, the man pausing to clothesline a cultist who dared get in his way. ... _Fuck._

"[ _Power Sprint!_ ]" Genesis took off at full speed after the man mountain, the barely teenage hero-in-training doing his utmost to focus on the warmth spreading from his chest and down to his legs instead of exactly how stupid his plan was. It wasn't exactly working, but he tried regardless. _Okay, so my best bet is that he's not gonna kill me. Considering that Sportsmaster guy isn't currently a corpse, Bane isn't an out and out murderer. That's good… I think._

He frowned at that thought, another realization dawning on him. _So, he's probably just gonna beat the living hell out of me. That's..._ The frown on Genesis' face deepened, nearly transforming into an out and out scowl as he burst out into the factory doors, head turning this way and that as he tried to find where Bane could have di-

 **-52**

 **-9**

* * *

 **Resistance: Blunt Force Lvl Up!**

 **18→19**

* * *

 **VIT + 1**

* * *

Everything went white as something hard smashed into his jaw. His head flew back, a spray of blood flying from his open mouth as he bit down on his tongue.

 **-44**

 **-29**

A second struck him across the opposite side of his face, jaw feeling double the impact as his bones almost seem to rattle underneath his skin. A third flew right into his unprotected torso, rattling his breastbone from the force of it as it tore a choked cry of pain from his lips. The sheer pain from it alone nearly sent him right to the ground, knees turning to jelly from the moment of impact.

He stumbled forward on those shaky legs, desperately trying to blink past the white haze in his vision. Head lolling like a newborn's, he tried to move — tried to _run_ — but before he could, the world began to spin. He felt the hands gripping his collar before his eyes could make out the beefy arms that led up to them, forelimbs wider than his entire head on both sides of his suddenly fragile-feeling skull.

* * *

 **Status Effect: Concussion**

* * *

The spinning shot into high gear and Genesis felt himself hurtle through the air, body flying backwards several feet as he struggled to simply make sense of it. The impact jarred him back into place, skull and spine making contact with the concrete wall of the factory and taking the brunt of the blow for the rest of him.

 **-21**

 **-14**

 **-4**

Genesis barely repressed the urge to vomit as he fell to the ground, the boy coughing violently regardless. Pain slowly beginning to fade, he forced himself up to his feet, hands at the ready as he tried to gather up enough focus to strike back with the energy he could feel welling up inside him.

 **-21**

Another strike rocked him before he could even see it; an open hand slap this time, right across his face. Unlike the first, it almost felt lazy to Zeke, playful even. That was only in comparison, though. It still hurt like like hell when you were the one receiving it.

The boy's vision blurred even as he forced himself to stay on his feet, Bane's image hovering in duplicates as the man danced around him. Or maybe the villain was standing perfectly still.

He couldn't really tell, if he was being honest.

Spitting up a hunk of blood as he managed to find his footing, the teen shot a look that he hoped was suitably intimidating at the Bane that seemed to be the most corporeal, the blood around his mouth turning what might have been a sneer into a disgusted grimace. "Y-you… think I'm… think I'm…"

" _Jeez…"_ The word spilled from his mouth unbidden as the kid nearly stumbled, his legs threatening to slip out from under him for no real reason. A quick change in stance corrected that accident, Genesis continuing his stand-off with the smug luchador as if nothing had just happened. He held his hands up, the open palm of his right hand glowing a bright blue and the fist of his left hand a bright yellow as he tried another attempt at intimidation. "Y-you really think I'm _fuckin'_ sc... scared of y-y- _you_?!"

He was terrified, of course, Bane being one of the scariest villains he could remember that weren't in Superman's weight class. However, now was not the time to let the bad guy in front of him know that.

Bane let out a deep laugh, Zeke's gaze darting to the right as he focused on the location of the sound rather than his unreliable vision. As the villain calmed down, he furled his arms over his chest and began to speak, "Your fearlessness is admirable, niño but there is a saying I once heard. 'The weakest dogs do bark the loudest', I believe it goes."

 _The weakest dogs…_ Genesis frowned at Bane's chuckled words, memory spiked by the turn of phrase. "Wait… Wait a minute! _You_ …" The boy in blue pointed a golden finger at Bane's form, realization hitting him all of a sudden. " _Piccolo_ said that! You stole that saying from Dragon Ball Z!"

Bane blinked at the sudden change in topic. "Dragon Ba-"

Genesis _moved_ , seizing the opportunity granted by Bane's confusion to get in close. The villain stumbled back in sheer surprise but in close quarters, he couldn't avoid the Mana Burst that the sidekick shot directly at center mass, the sphere exploding against his chest and forcing him to rear back. The [Power Strike] in his other hand slammed into the same spot, forcing a gasp from Bane and making the Hispanic supervillain give up more ground.

Zeke jumped back and away from the villain after his quick combo, most of the pain fading and his vision righting itself as he focused on the fight in front of him. He curled his hands together, the image of what he had in mind already forming between his twin palms as he geared himself up to say the word the moment it was prepared.

That moment never came.

Bane seemed to rush forward in between the blinks of an eye, the villain bursting into motion with a look of pure rage on his face. The basketball-sized ball of blue energy faltered and died as Genesis' eyes widened in shock. Muscles primed for action, Bane swung with an angered yell. "I will hurt you, niño!"

* * *

 **Reflexes Lvl Up!**

 **2→4**

* * *

 _I dodged it!_ Brown eyes widened even further behind his mask as he watched the arm swing past him, the thirteen-year old having darted to the side of the blow before it could make contact. The excited thought rushed through him as he avoided the initial strike with skill or reflexes that he barely knew he possessed, the action filling him with hope that he could actually have a chance against Bane. The follow-up quieted every single thought along those lines.

 **-34**

 **-12**

* * *

 **VIT + 1**

* * *

 **Resistance: Blunt Force Lvl Up!**

 **18→19**

* * *

Bane's arm met the sidekick's neck in a powerful lariat, slamming him down to the ground with force that would be more fitting to a gorilla than any normal man. Before he could so much as catch a breath, a foot came down on his chest and Genesis found himself gasping for air almost immediately. "You are fast boy, and tougher than you look," Bane's words were tinged with more anger than before, the man staring down at him with a dark expression. "Still, that means nothing when I can break you with one hand."

"...O-o- _okay._ " The single word left him in between desperate inhales for air, the boy taking in short gasps as Bane continued putting more and more weight on his body, his tiny form being pushed deeper and deeper into the damp ground of the jungle clearing.. "... _And… what's… your p-point?_ "

 **-3**

 **-5**

 **-3**

 **-1**

 **-2**

"My point is that I care about nothing else but what rightfully belongs to me and, you see, that man..." Bane jerked his thumb over by the direction of the helipad. Still struggling with the weight on his chest, Genesis shifted his gaze over to that direction, eyes widening soon after. This entire time, a nearly identical brawl had been going down just around the corner from where Zeke and Bane currently stood; a tall gray-skinned man with his bare chest marred with electrical burns facing off against a bruised and clearly spent Boy Wonder. A girl lay unconscious on the ground between them, her arms strapped to her side with the black strips of a bola.

 **-6**

 **-4**

 **-3**

"That man and his people stole what's mine," Bane continued, voice growing more grizzled as he slowly increased the weight on the boy's chest. Genesis didn't even bother struggling anymore as he could barely lift his arms even now, all chances of another surprise attack demolished before they even had a chance to flourish. His gaze flicked back over to Robin, a grimace spreading across his face as the unnaturally pale man held the Boy Wonder up in the air, large hands wrapped around his neck. "And I want it back."

A closed-mouth smile spread across Bane's face as he stared down, the luchador well aware who held the cards here. "Go help your friend, nino. Do some good. Get these thieves off my island and in exchange, I let you live. Understand?"

Ezekiel glared up a the villain pressing down on him, fighting the urge to spit a wad of blood into his smug face. "... _Fine._ "

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

Grass-stained gloves fell on cape-covered shoulders, tired hands shaking the thirteen-year-old awake with an almost uncaring roughness. Robin opened bleary eyes behind his mask and flinched immediately, half-expecting to see Kobra's sadistic smirk in front of him as the man continued to choke him again. Instead, the only thing to be seen was the face of his newest and most troublesome teammate, the kid close to his age going by the name Genesis, the hands close to his neck belonging to the same.

The Dark Knight's sidekick took in the other boy's expression and general appearance with a single glance, immediately noting how badly beat up Genesis looked. Dark bruises dotted the sides of his face, swollen eye, split-lip and bloody mouth only adding to the pitiful and disheveled look that his grass and mud-stained jumpsuit completed perfectly. Robin opened his mouth, questions whirring through his mind and warring for the position of first to leave his lips.

None of them made it out as his jaw hung open as he spotted Kobra's body over Genesis' shoulder, the cult leader slumped on the ground with a ring of purple bruising on his chest standing out starkly against his grey skin. Further behind, he could spot Miss Martian and Aqualad sweeping up the last of the robed cultists, Kid Flash gathering the already unconscious ones into a large pile. Over by the tree line, Superboy could be seen with a disgruntled expression, the Kryptonian clone dragging the unconscious form of some giant, leather-skinned monster across the ground for some reason.

Robin turned back to Zeke, mouth still open as he struggled to come up with a question. Before he could do any of that though, the boy in blue gripped his shoulders tighter and leaned in close, almost shaking him again as he blurted out a question of his own.

" _Can we go home now?"_

* * *

 **Mission Success!**

 **Mission "Kobras are Venomous" Completed**

 **\+ 5000 XP**

 **\+ Venom x 25**

 **\+ Kobra-Venom x 5**

 **\+ Kobra Kultist Kowl x 5**

 **Bonus: Failed!**

* * *

 **\+ 9025 XP**

 **\+ Essence of Kobra**

 **\+ Amulet of Kobra**

 **\+ Cowl of the Naga**

* * *

 **Level Up x 3!**

 **You are now Level 8.**

 **\+ 6 Stat Points**

* * *

 **Power Strike Lvl Up!**

 **6→7**

 **Mana Burst Lvl Up!**

 **14→15**

* * *

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

 **Ezekiel Patrick Armstrong**

 **Title: None**

 **Level 8**

 **XP: 5000/6000**

 **Age: 13**

 **HP: 510/510**

 **MP: 190/190**

 **Will: 180/180**

 **STR: 29**

 **SPD: 38**

 **VIT: 34**

 **INT: 30**

 **WIS: 9**

 **CHA: 12**

 **Stat Points: 6**

 **Cash: $375**


	18. Emergence 2-6

**I'd like to thank all those who pledged to me on the site known as PATREEON.**

 **Sanguinius, Jack, Jeong Ho Lee, James, Roman Krupkin, Agamnon Solarion, Weise, Ahmad El Natour, Spooky Bones, Christian Schroter, Agamnon Solarion, Weise, Yobthog, Zach Collins, Lazysailor, Lyte, Raymond Alderman, Juice beard, Maxwell King, Mathias king, e-addict, Erik Mickiewicz, James Carl Henderson, Liam O' Neil, Mathieu Martineau, Sackthanaban Kounlavong, Cedron Spaulding, Silver W. King, TM, Chris, Arlos, NexusClown, Brandon Dayne Baugh, AntaeusTheGiant, Mira, Jacek Blonski, Sartek, ALEX, and Benjamin Helkey. A very special thanks to my newest Patron, Steph Ngu, and of course, I can't go without mentioning Segev, who does a great job of Beta as well.**

 **Thanks to my other Beta, Kenmadragon, and DasStan, who helped with the various Beta Readings and helping me catch every possible problem.**

 **Emergence 2.6**

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

 **Manhattan, New York**

 **July 27, 2010**

 **9:05 EDT**

Ezekiel bit down on the fluffy goodness on the end of his fork, relishing in the overwhelming amount of maple and powdered sweetness that burst from the waffle with every single bite he took. The entire stack dripped with an almost sickening amount of syrup since Zeke had applied a healthy coating of the stuff as soon as his plate had been placed in front of him. It trailed down from his mountain of waffles, the peak dusted with a heap of powdered sugar, all the way down past the various different selections of pork he had available to him until it came to a stop near the very end of the plate, just short of his fluffy, sun-colored, scrambled eggs. While a portion of his breakfast may have been swimming in a river of his own making, so was he.

And that river was a sugary sweet _heaven._

A few moments and several bites later, his other hand stabbed down, a black plastic knife spearing the fattest sausage link he had available. Raising his knife, prey still skewered on top of it, he dropped it down into the small bowl on the right side of his heavily-laden plate and grinned. A second later, the link broke the surface again, rising from the small container of homemade gravy and directly into an open and awaiting mouth.

He bit down and let out a small breath from his nose, a pleased smile spreading across his face.

 _Correction_ , a heaven of many different flavors. His plate was near finished now, but it was still as good as when he started and he could attest to that.

Nodding his head, the dark-skinned raised his head, fingers encircled around the cup to his left as he began to wash down the mouthful of food with another burst of flavor; this one in the form of apple juice.

Another pleased sigh left him as he lowered the cup, eyes opening as he glanced up for the first time since he had started eating. A pair of warm green eyes met his hazel, the young teen pausing for a moment as he noted his mentor's silent watch.

He swallowed once more as a smile spread across Nate's face, the man raising his steaming cup of coffee to his face. "I suppose making a pit stop for breakfast was a good idea, after all."

Zeke felt his ears heat up and fought the urge to duck his head down again, slight embarrassment worming through him for a moment before he firmly pushed it away and held his mentor's gaze. "Yep! Guess I am a bit hungry, huh?"

"I'd say." Nate Atom raised the mug up to his face again, drinking in the smell yet again but not actually taking a sip of the black sludge in the cup.

" _I'd say._ " Zeke pulled a face, mimicking Nate's cadence with a stern expression of his own. "You're the one who got me out of bed this morning because we were going places again."

There was that soft smile again, Nate's expression warming just slightly before sliding back to it's usual stoic line in a few seconds. Seemingly done with the little snippet of conservation, he turned away from Zeke to glance around the bustling diner they found themselves occupying a booth in. He couldn't help but wonder all this was about, at least a little, as the captain had yet to explain his sudden appearance in the Cave earlier this morning.

Past that of a greeting and a simple message to "get ready", Zeke had no real idea what was on the agenda for today. In hindsight, considering how often that seemed to be the case, he should probably have gotten used to it by now.

He shook that last negative thought out of his head as he leaned closer to his plate, allowing the last bite of waffle to find itself between his teeth. Chewing, he glanced up from his plate and took in Nate's human form again. Tall, muscular, and imposing as he was, the man's features seemed carved from stone, body or face rarely moving an inch or even shifting in a way that didn't seem perfectly controlled at all times.

White hair and all, he looked like a painted statue almost, a sculptists' rendition of a man as his piercing green gaze was focused on the waitress as she paused at their table, the captain handing her a set of bills before she walked away again. "So, Ezekiel... I never got around to asking about your first mission. Do you mind telling me how it all ended up?"

Zeke started slightly at the question, blinking rapidly as he realized a moment too late the captain had turned his gaze back to him. After a few more moments of silence staring at the now-empty plate in front of him, he asked back, "Uhhh… doesn't the League talk about this kinda stuff already?" He let out a small uncertain laugh, a little worried as to whether there was a certain reason why the captain was so curious. "You don't already know?"

Nathaniel Adam let out a slight sigh before he replied again, the sound causing Zeke to raise an eyebrow. "Trust me, unless Batman decides to bring an issue up during League meetings, the League is essentially out of the loop when it comes to you kids. He even keeps your reports filed separately from League documents."

 _Okay, I do not like the sound of that,_ Zeke mused, expression shifting as his thoughts raced again. _I would have thought the League was spying on us during missions. I mean, I honestly would prefer them to be spying on us. Like… for our safety. I mean, they really should be. Right?_

"Well…" the boy began, quickly pushing yet another set of uncomfortable thoughts down and to the side, "we fought Kobra and that was… hectic, I guess is the word. I personally took down the boss, Kobra himself, with a surprise energy blast… I mean," he tilted his head, taking another sip of juice, "it was more like one big blast and then a bunch of smaller ones but the guy refused to go down."

His gaze went distant for a second as he thought back, eyes flickering back and forth between his mentor and the bustling New York street outside. "Like, I hit him _real_ hard and he just kept trucking. I'm pretty sure he actually popped his shoulder back into its socket before he actually hit the ground for the last time. Just… _uggh._ "

Zeke couldn't help but pull a face at that memory, actual disgust in his expression as he stuck his tongue out. "Talk about creepy. Had to hit him a bunch of times after he went down to make sure he wasn't faking. And then a couple more for good luck. And then another one cause I felt like it." It hadn't been necessary in the slightest, the villain already unconscious by the tenth or so [Mana Burst] following the initial [Hadoken] but Zeke couldn't deny that it did make him feel a lot better, each blast that hit home making him feel just a bit more sure of himself.

The kid let out a bit of a snorting laugh before he shook his head and went on. "Anyway, we caught Kobra and all his goons, recovered the Venom; the old stuff, at least. Bad news; a lot of the new batches kinda went missing and nobody has a clue where it went. Also, we hauled in this giant monster guy who – get this – almost killed me – story for later – but was _also_ Kobra's test subject for their new Venom. Meaning he looked like a mess, just like eight or nine feet of torn, leathery skin, exposed muscle and a face that a mother would just give up on, you know? _Also_ also, somehow, when we weren't looking, Bane ended up escaping and this other guy – Sportsmaster, they called him – just vanished out of nowhere. Crazy, right?"

It was crazy, Zeke could acknowledge that much. It had also been terrifying and incredibly frustrating all at once, Bane providing a good deal of that frustration by himself. Feeling useless was one thing but Bane had simply torn him apart with a few punches, the man's raw strength and likely a good helping of skill leaving him unable to even fight back.

Even his meager attempt at a distraction had gone nowhere.

Yeah, feeling useless was one thing but feeling so completely _powerless…_

He didn't like that not one bit.

Rather than bring any of that up at breakfast though, the teen simply glanced up at Nate with another smile he didn't really feel. "On the whole, though, it was certainly a learning experience," he added as an afterthought. "I learned that supervillains are pretty tough customers, not that I didn't know it already but… practical experience, y'know?"

"I can't imagine what it must have been like for you…" Nate began, raising his mug again and finally, _finally_ , taking a sip from it. Zeke could only nod along in agreement with that single statement, unable to imagine someone with the abilities, experience and temperament of Captain Atom being in his situation. "But I do know that you made your way out of it and helped your team accomplish the objective."

Zeke fought the urge to groan at that. _Did we, though? Did we, really? I feel like Batman would disagree at least a little._

"Even then, it sounds like a lot for your first official mission. Don't let it rattle your cage, though. After you get your feet under you, I'm sure you'll look back on this and laugh." The Captain barely paused to catch a breath again before speaking up again, this time with another question Zeke didn't feel like answering. "So, that book I lent you… Last we spoke, you mentioned it helped you get ahold of your powers. Any progress since then?"

" _Well_ …" The boy in the blue hoodie couldn't help but wince at the memories of his multiple attempts to pull off anything more impressive than his [Hadoken] and the basic [Mana Burst] he already had. Things could have gone better...

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

" _My cookies!"_

" _...sorry!"_

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

 _Wally's still annoyed at me for that one,_ Zeke mused with a slight shrug. _You'd think he'd get over it after eating something else but noooo._ With his repeated attempts at working with his mana blasts a bust, he had pushed his efforts into other areas, working on his physical stats and what else he could manage with Connor at his side and M'gann also there… for emotional support **(Meditation + 2, STR + 2, SPD + 1, VIT + 2, INT + 1)**. "I'm making good progress in general," Zeke replied to his mentor, Nate smiling slightly again at those words.

"I'm glad to hear that, son," Captain Atom spoke up slightly, a focused glint in his eyes. "You've really stepped up from that first day we met and I'm proud of you for it."

Zeke acknowledged the words with a polite nod, raising his eyebrows slightly as Captain Atom continued speaking. "Before I forget, I meant to ask how your first briefing went."

The hooded teen paused mid-step, hands stilling in his pockets as he found himself having to duck another diner's errant limb. "T-the briefing?"

"Yes, the one you had a few days ago. Anyone who's spent time with the Batman knows that he's rather gruff sometimes. Keeping that in mind, I just wanted to make sure he wasn't too hard on you for any small mistakes."

 _Hoo boy._

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

 **July 23, 8:15 ECT**

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

 _They stood in a single line, Kaldur at one end and Zeke at the other, all of them with their hands at their sides as they awaited the harsh words they had been expecting. In front of them, Batman paced back and forth, his black cloak trailing behind him and somehow adding an inordinate amount of grim gravitas to what was a simple few steps in either direction._

 _After several long moments of this, he paused and stared at each of them in turn before finally speaking for the first time that morning. "I… am at a loss for words."_

 _Despite being at a loss for words, Batman still managed to dress them down for the next five minutes seemingly without having to pause for breath._

 _Truly, the skill of the Batman knows no bounds._

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

"Honestly," Zeke began, nodding his head again. There was a pregnant silence, the boy in the blue hoodie taking in a slight hiss of breath as Nate waited for him to continue.

"... _Wasn't._ As bad. As I thought it would be," he finally concluded. _Not a lie._

"Good. Good." Nate seemed to accept his hesitant statement a bit too readily, however. "That's good to hear. Batman wasn't exactly forthcoming with details but I knew he'd be at least somewhat understanding."

"Yep, understanding. That's Batman for sure."

The captain simply nodded at that, a slight smile on his face. After a moment, he glanced down at his watch before raising his eyebrows. "Would you look at the time? We better get going."

Just like that, Captain Atom simply slid out of the side of his booth and started walking at his usual pace towards the door, Zeke quickly following alongside him. Before Zeke could ask where they had better get going to, Nate preempted him again with another set of questions, leaving the young man floundering for a moment or two.

"Any news about your second mission you feel like sharing? The one to the Salt Flats?" Adam asked again, not noticing his sidekick's flinch at the added questioning. "From what little I could gather from what the Flash had to mention, that one went similarly off the rails."

"Off the rails? Ummm…"

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

 _Robin glanced over at Psycho Pirate mid-backflip in shock, Kid Flash running past him with the villain's golden mask in his grasp along with the plutonium, as an angrily screaming Genesis launched himself at the psychic, lower body glowing as he screamed out the words, "Power Strike!"_

 _His limb struck with a small explosion of force, the glow intensifying for a single instant as the blow hit home. Sneaker sole met the now-unmasked villain's nose with a crunch of cartilage and a spray of blood, the already weakened villain dropping like a stone._

 _Genesis dropped to the ground in an unsteady landing, grinning triumphantly as he kicked at the downed villain again and again, one hand pointing down._

" _Ha-_ _ **HA!**_ _Not so fun when it's you bleeding, huh? Owww…" The boy paused for a moment, stumbling himself as his right hand went to clutch his opposite shoulder, rivulets of scarlet easily visible as they slowly ran down the blue of his costume. "Jesus Christ, who even carries a sword-cane? It's 2010!"_

 _The Boy Wonder rushed over with speed worthy of Batman's sidekick, coming to a quick stop on the nuclear plant's grass by sliding like a baseball player and quickly bound Psycho Pirate with a pair of fold-out handcuffs. That completed, he glanced up at his jumpsuit-clad teammate in confusion. "Dude, kicking P-Pirate like that? A bit much! The guy doesn't even have powers."_

 _The other thirteen-year old gaped, letting go of his currently gaping wound to properly gesture to it. "He stabbed me! In the shoulder! My favorite shoulder! Just because his stupid mask didn't work on me!"_

" _Real petty of you, though," Robin replied back, jumping to his feet._

 _Genesis fought the urge to say something insulting back, the kid simply gritting his teeth and replying, "Justice is petty!"_

" _Umm…" Miss Martian shook her head, the psionically-sensitive girl still looking somewhat unsteady as she tried to recover from the trance Psycho Pirate had put most of the team through. "I don't think that's accurate."_

" _It also seems rather unheroic," A groaning Aqualad spoke up, the Atlantean glancing back to note that Superboy was still completely out of it._

" _HE. STABBED. MY. SHOULDER!"_

 **Observed: Psycho-Pirate**

 **Psycho-Pirate (Roger Hayden) Lv 12**

 **Wielder of Medusa's Mask**

 **A Caucasian male of average height, strength, and ability, Roger Hayden would be completely unremarkable if it weren't for both his insanity and his ability to wield the Medusa Mask with the ease of its original creator. Although, that raises the question; when did Medusa ever wear a mask… or control emotions, for that matter?**

 **Ability Gained!**

 **Resistance: Piercing Lv 1**

 _The thrust or stab is risky because it can kill and yet not stop._

Reduces piercing or stabbing damage by 0.5% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. **(1%)**

 **Resistance: Piercing Lvl Up!**

 **1→2**

 **Resistance: Slashing Lv 1**

 _The cut and slash is useful because it will stop but not kill._

Reduces slashing or cutting damage by by 0.5% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health.

 **\+ 300 XP**

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

"...ekiel, are you alright?"

"Huh? Yep!" he answered, response coming just a bit too quickly.

"Are you sure?" Nate asked again, green eyes locking on Zeke's own for a moment as if searching his face. "You went a bit quiet for a second there."

"Me? Fine, but the mess… I mean, the mission, right?" The teenager paused to clear his throat, allowing his voice a moment to ease itself back down to a pitch that most would consider normal. "You were asking about the mission, I mean?"

"I was, yes," the captain responded slowly, eyes still searching Zeke.

"Well, It went… _good_."

"Really? No unforeseen complications?" Nate raised a pale eyebrow, the motion asking more questions than a thousand words could manage.

"... Define complications."

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

" _What kind of weapon is that? Why would you even... Who-who does this?" Genesis knew very well that a fight was not the time to be playing twenty questions but the boy simply couldn't resist, his own curiosity warring with the sheer insanity at play in front of him._

" _What kind of madman makes that sort of thing?" The sentence left his mouth moments before he [Power Sprint]-ed backward, hands outstretched as he kept on taking potshots at the jade-green form of the second supervillain of the day. Unfortunately for him, his aim wasn't even the best when standing perfectly still and running at top speed to avoid energy beams of the ground-wrecking variety wasn't exactly conducive to accuracy. "No, like seriously! You'd have to be legitimately insane to go that route with something like this!"_

" _Dude! What are you talking about?!" Kid Flash screamed over at him, the speedster still sore from from being blasted into the ground just a minute ago by Atomic Skull himself. "Explain or shut up already!"_

" _I'm talking about that stupid helmet that Skeletor's wearing!" Genesis shot back, pointing at the villain currently using a combination of his helmet and M'gann's body to dig a trench through the nuclear plant's front lawn. "It's so unsafe! That level of energy projection and you place it directly on top of your brain? If the radiation doesn't kill him from the excessive use, an unintended explosion definitely will, especially considering he uses it to fight!"_

" _Oh my god, would you_ _ **shut**_ _up?!"_

" _When he starts making sense,_ _ **sure!**_ "

 **Observed: Atomic Skull**

 **Atomic Skull (Albert Michaels) Lv 20**

 **Mad Scientist**

 **A research scientist with a neuro-degenerative disorder, Skull went supervillain because Superman put away the evil scientists using his desire for a cure for to get him to do their dirty work. To be fair, his brain's not in the best condition so his rational thinking abilities aren't top notch anyway.**

 **Power Sprint Lvl Up!**

 **10→11**

 **Mana Burst Lvl Up!**

 **15→16**

 **\+ 1 INT**

 **\+ Neuro-Electricity Infused Battery Fragments**

 **\+ Lexcorp Targeting Integration Circuit**

 **\+ Accessory Fuse**

 **\+ S.T. A. R. Labs Prototype Power Cell x 2**

 **\+ K.O.R.D. ACI Armature x 5**

 **\+ 1200 XP**

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

Zeke put on another smile as the captain seemed to accept his truncated mission report, still somewhat peeved that for such a hectic second assignment, he hadn't actually gotten a _real_ mission out of it and even the experience from the fights hadn't been worth it, not really. Granted, his opponents were a normal guy with a magic mask that couldn't get past his Gamer's Mind and an eighty-year old scientist who didn't know the meaning of proper safety standards but still…

He let out a long sigh, unsure of what to say back to the Captain other than that. Thankfully, his mentor seemed to be fine with just those three words, nodding back with a thoughtful expression on his face. Like that, the two of them walked out the door of the diner and onto a street that felt more like an ocean full of people that quickly buffeted them forward.

For a few more minutes, they continued walking through the bustling streets of New York, Zeke content to glance all around at the sights and sounds of so many people packed together. It was only after they had walked for what felt like a quarter of an hour before Zeke decided to ask the question that had been on his mind for a little while. "So, what's next on the agenda, sir?"

Captain Atom, for his part, also smiled but as far as Zeke could tell, the expression on the older man's face wasn't forced. "Well… I realized that since you had just completed your first official mission, it was time for you handle some things that were best taken care of as soon as possible. It involves your next official step into the real world of being a superhero."

"...O-oh?" Zeke's smile wavered for a moment, confusion warring with excitement for that single instant before excitement won by a landslide and his expression brightened. "Oh!"

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

"Oh…"

The eager light in his eyes faded rather quickly as several forms were layered in front of him, a red pen placed on top of the stack ready and waiting for him to click the thing open. Zeke blinked several times, posture slowly getting worse in the uncomfortable office chair he sat in as he realized his current unfortunate situation.

He glanced up and to his right to where his mentor sat there, a pleasant smile on the white-haired man's face as if nothing at all was wrong. Seemingly at ease filling out the papers that he himself had been handed, Captain Atom took a second to spare Zeke a glance, only to raise an eyebrow as he found the boy himself glancing back.

"Is there a problem, Ezekiel?"

"There shouldn't be," cut in another voice, the bare hint of a New England accent dripping with impatience. "These forms are easy, simple, and literally child-proof. As in, any child should be able to fill one out. As long as they can read or write, that is."

Zeke glanced up with a decidedly stern frown on his face to shoot an insulted glare at the figure sitting behind the large wooden desk across from him, the woman staring back as if daring him to say something.

The young teen wasn't sure how to categorize her, the woman in question giving off various conflicting signals that he wasn't sure how to decipher. With her jet-black business suit, thin square glasses, hair pulled back in a severe bun, and expression that screamed seriousness, she gave off the strong air of someone that was strictly business and had no time or patience for anything else.

However, that appearance was at odds with the fact that she was currently working her way through a small pink lollipop, her heeled feet placed atop her desk as she leaned back in her office chair. Certain decorations in her office also seemed to contradict Zeke's immediate assessment of her; photos of the woman in far more casual clothing smiling with an eagerness that didn't fit her now and several of her shaking the hands of various costumed individuals, Captain Atom's image being the largest. Truly, a conundrum.

The woman in question had introduced herself just a few minutes ago as ' _Willow Wilson, public relations manager for Nathaniel Adam aka Cameron Scott aka Captain Atom and, by extension, you as his sidekick.'_ She hadn't sounded exactly pleased about that last part, shooting him a slightly displeased expression, but before Zeke could manage to ask what especially vicious insect had managed to crawl its way up her butt - albeit, not with those _exact_ words - Ms. Wilson had proceeded to pre-empt his questioning with a series of forms for him to fill, offering a much smaller stack to the captain as well.

"Okay, first of all, ma'am, I'm thirteen years old, not three. I _can_ read and write and I do not appreciate the assertion that I'm incapable of either. Second," Zeke turned to the captain sitting by his side, the man still powered down and staring at him expectantly, "I thought you said we were taking the next official step into me being a superhero."

Nate stared back patiently, the man tilting his head ever so slightly as an open palm gestured at the forms laid out in front of the both of them.

A long sigh left the young sidekick as he glanced between the paperwork awaiting him and his mentor again, disappointment and confusion both melding into a simple look of dismay on his face. "Paperwork… _really?_ "

"Really." Ms. Wilson chose to answer in place of the captain, the severe-looking woman lowering her feet from her desk to ease forward in her chair, arms now resting where her feet were. "If you had struck out on your own or had been picked up by almost any other hero, this wouldn't be a necessity but Captain Atom is a military-sponsored hero, which makes you a military-sponsored sidekick…" She leaned forward again, one hand raised to her temple to adjust her glasses slightly as she stared Zeke in the eyes, " _meaning_ paperwork is a requirement."

Zeke let out a slight hum, the sound conveying both annoyance and understanding. "Okay, I get _that_ but," he paused to level the publicist with a small glare, "why do I feel like you have a problem with me?"

A slight sigh came from his right as the words left Zeke's mouth, the boy turning to face his mentor. The white-haired man held his expression taut, teeth visible in an expression halfway between an open grimace and a half-hearted smile. "Son… it's not with you. She's rather annoyed at me right now and you just happen to be here. There's something I might have forgotten when I asked you to be my partner."

"Me." Zeke turned his gaze back to Willow, the annoyed-looking publicist pointing a finger at herself. "He forgot me. Actually, let me rephrase that..." she rolled her eyes and pushed back against her desk, leaning back again slightly as she angled the lollipop away from her mouth. "He forgot to run _it_ by me. I'm his public relations manager, after all. Among other things, I have the responsibility of managing his image."

"... _okay?_ " The teenager raised an eyebrow as high as it could go, not understanding what any of this had to do with him. "I just don't ge-"

"I know," Ms. Wilson interrupted him with a raised lollipop. "That's why I'm explaining it to you. I've been managing the good captain's image for the last four years. That's four years of appearances, interviews and image work done to give the public the impression that Captain Atom is a strong, stern career military man that works best on his own and while he joined the League for the Greater Good, his first and only focus is serving his country and keeping it's people safe, above _all_ else."

Zeke blinked.

Once. Twice.

"...o-oh. I… I can see how I might mess that image up, yeah." He glanced down at the small stack of papers in front of him again, expression falling slightly.

"Ezekiel, you haven't messed anything up," Nate replied after a moment, the captain resting one hand on his sidekick shoulder. "Trust me, there's no real problem here."

Ms. Wilson let out a long hum, the sound itself showing very well what she thought of that statement. "Let's put a pin in that for now. Just… know that I don't blame you, kid. No, my _client_ should have run it by me first so I blame him." Pausing for a moment to shoot Captain Atom a playful glare as the man let out a slight scoff, the publicist continued speaking, "But enough about him, let's get back to you. What's your name? The one you picked out." She stared at him for a moment longer, waiting expectantly for him to reply.

"Uhh… Genesis."

The name barely left his lips before Ms. Wilson let out a sigh of her own, the noise sounding more and more like a groan the longer it went on. "Oh good God, please tell me you haven't already started using that in any…" She waved her hand around, a slight scowl marring her face, " _official_ capacity."

" _Willow…_ " Captain Atom's voice took on a slight warning tone, but he didn't have to say a thing more as the woman in question glanced back at him and sighed again, raising her hands up.

"I know, I know, Captain, but you have to understand where I'm coming from here. Flash has Kid Flash, Aquaman; Aqualad, Batman; Robin, Shining Knight;Squire… catchy names that go along with each other in a certain way. Best of all, it would have made my job a great deal easier."

 _How do Batman and Robin fit there, though?_ Zeke managed to suppress the thought before it could leave his mouth, simply nodding along to the publicist as she spoke. _Green Arrow and Speedy don't even work at all, either. What was the deal there?_

Nate's hand on his shoulder was a minor comfort but Zeke couldn't help but feel like he had made a major blunder, regardless; picking a name without considering the consequences. "Trust me, Ezekiel, I don't mind. You have your own identity and it doesn't have to be copied from mine."

The hooded boy glanced upwards, a sigh on his lips again. "I understand, Cap. It's just… she makes a good point." As much as he didn't want to admit that, it was undeniably true.

"You're working with Captain Atom and you couldn't come up with a name that fit?" Ms. Wilson paused at that, finally having gotten to the crux of her point, not even noticing that neither Zeke nor the captain were paying her much attention at this point as they returned to their paperwork.

"You know, I literally have a list of names prepared for something just like this. If you had just come to me first, I could have given you some names that tested extremely well with most audiences, like, for instance; Warhead, X-Ray, Manhattan, Atom Smasher, Proton, Megaton, Nuke, Fission, Radical, Particle Lad, Fallout Boy…" She finally paused to rub the bridge of her nose, letting out a long breath as she did so.

"Just… see if you can give... _Proton_ a try. For marketing purposes, at least. You can put whatever you want down on that form but just try the name out."

Zeke stared back, chewing on his bottom lip for a moment as he mulled it over. He glanced over at Captain Atom, the man saying nothing, and then back again to Ms. Wilson, before letting out a sigh. "I… I'll think about it."

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

"So, what's next on the big agenda?"

His question was met with a slight questioning noise from the Captain, the man raising an eyebrow at Zeke's question as they made their way down the bustling Manhattan sidewalk once again. "What makes you think that wasn't all we had to take care of?"

Zeke spent a moment pretending to give the reply some thought before shaking his head in response. "Nah, doubt it. I figure if we're starting the day with paperwork, we probably have a bunch more to do. Am I right?"

"You might be."

"Let me guess," the teen picked up his pace, shorter legs working double time to match his mentor's stride, "We're going to get me fingerprinted? No… a doctor's appointment? No, no…" Zeke shook his head at that, fingers raised to cup his chin as he seemingly gave the issue some more thought. After a moment, he snapped his fingers and glanced up at his white-haired mentor and gave the man a grin. "Jury duty!"

While he did well to hide it, Nate couldn't entirely hide the amusement on his face, Zeke's own smile growing in tandem. "Jury duty? Here I thought you were far too young for that. It seems I'm learning something new today."

They both let out a slight laugh at that, Zeke walking slightly faster to prevent himself from being buffeted along with the river of people making their way down the Manhattan sidewalk. After spending nearly an entire half hour cooped up in an office filling out repetitive and boring paperwork that was apparently a 'military requirement', he was finally able to stretch his legs again.

"So, what are we _actually_ doing with the rest of today?" Zeke finally ventured after a few more minutes of walking alongside the captain. He turned around to face the captain, hurrying up his pace until he was nearly skipping backwards as they turned a corner, the flow of the street dying away rather quickly as they turned another and another. "Unless, we're just enjoying the sights…"

Nate didn't respond, a slight smile on his face as he continued walking forward.

The kid's face quickly fell, disappointment working its way into his grin. "Please tell me we're not actual-" The words fell away from his mouth as he hit what felt like a wall, Zeke blinking as a hand that felt more like a baseball mitt clapped him on the shoulder. _Christ._

"Hey, 'nuff talking."

Propelled by instinct as much as shock, Zeke jumped back and away from the wall of meat, nearly tripping over himself from his sudden rush over to Captain Atom's side. Eyes wide, he stared back at the figure blocking his way.

An older man stood there in nothing but a blank tank-top and blue jeans, grinning down at Zeke with a set of pearly-whites that gleamed as if polished. He was large and muscular, extremely so despite his apparent age, with biceps and triceps that seemed to be in a perpetual state of flex from how unbelievably defined and veiny they were. Bristly hairs coated the sheer masses of muscle you could call his arms, even more of the stuff peeking out from behind the low neckline of the man's loose fitting muscle shirt. A near-white beard and mustache framed the lower portion of his face, the facial hair trimmed well despite its thickness. Both arms met at his waist in a classic hero pose, the man smiling back at him with just as much confidence as Zeke would expect from someone who looked like that.

"Well, Nate, you told me you got your own little brat but I didn't quite believe it till I saw 'im," the muscled grandpa spoke up again, shooting Captain Atom a smirk as he somehow managed to growl out the words in a way that was both threatening and comforting all at the same time. The fact that he looked like a very buff Santa Claus likely helped there. "A scrawny one, ain't 'e?"

 _Well, excuse y-_ The slightly annoyed response in Zeke's head faded as he heard a snort from behind him. Captain Atom allowed himself an audible chuckle, the white-haired man stepping past Zeke to lock arms with the other man, somehow looking much less imposing when against the stranger. Pulling back from the handshake, Nate let out another chuckle and patted Zeke on the shoulder, slightly pushing the young man forward. "He's only thirteen, Ted. What were you expecting exactly? At the very least, give him some time."

"Heh, guess you're right," the man named Ted replied with a growling chuckle. "Can't expect everyone to be a freak a' nature like me. Wouldn't be any trees left if every kid took to punching through 'em for exercise like yours truly."

A set of hazel eyes widened at that statement. _I'm sorry, wha-_ A large hand shot out towards Zeke and shattered his train of thought, the kid barely avoiding a flinch as it came to a stop near his chest, palm simply outstretched in expectation. "Name's Ted Grant, son. Nice to meet ya."

"Ted… Ted _Grant?_ " Hazel eyes widened further, taking in the man's appearance once more. "Like, like… _Wildcat_ Ted Grant?" His voice dropped to a near whisper as his eyes flashed blue, thoughts jumping to an instinctual [Observe] before he could stop himself.

 **Ted Grant (Wildcat) Lv ?**

 **The Boxer with 9 Lives**

 **?**

 **?**

 **?**

"He knows me?" Ted Grant let out a big rumbling belly laugh, raising his gaze back to Nate as he voiced the question. "Look at that! Newest generation and the respect's still there. Guess ol' Southpaw was more popular than he thought. You just made my day, kid."

The burly superhero - or ex-superhero, now that Zeke gave it some thought - clapped him on his shoulder as he let out another laugh, Zeke letting out a slight grunt from the weight of it. "Can you believe it, Nate? Two old men with little runts running alongside us," Grant's words seemed to make Nate flinch for some reason, Zeke blinking in confusion as to what that was about. After a second, Ted blinked as well, eyes brightening as if just realizing something. "That reminds me! I'm missing a couple sprogs myself." Cupping his hands around his mouth, the man turned his back to both Nate and Zeke as he called out, "Tomcat, Sonny, get your scrawny little hinds out here already. I told ya he'd be here any minute!"

The front door to the large building – Zeke just noticing the large yellow sign that said 'GRANT'S GYM' at the top – behind the man opened up, twin glass doors swinging open as two children of similar age ran outside and up to Ted's sides, the man stepping back as the duo positioned themselves.

The taller of the two was a boy somewhat older than Zeke himself, his height and general physical development giving credence to the idea. He bore a great resemblance to Ted himself, his skin being more olive than the much fairer tones of the former pro boxer and a frame that wasn't too out of place on a teenager, corded muscles notwithstanding. Running a hand through his thick head of raven-black hair, he nodded at Zeke, the other boy nodding back simply out of propriety.

His gaze turned to the girl taking the opposite position on Ted's side, her appearance at odds with the other boy and Ted himself; the both of them appearing Caucasian and the teenage girl looking more Japanese than anything else. Her eyes were playful, matching that of the other boy's though, and the both of them seemed to be laughing at some private joke the longer they looked at him.

For a moment, it seemed like they weren't going to speak so Zeke took it upon himself to break the ice. Clearing his throat, he stepped forward and extended a hand. "H-hey there, I'm Zeke."

"Hey yourself," Ignoring Zeke's outstretched hand, the other boy stepped forward and stared Zeke down with a smirk on his lips, thick Staten Island accent coming in strong. "Welcome to Grant's Gym. You can call me Tommy G. That's my sister Sonia. It'll be our pleasure to kick the shit outta ya today."

"..."

"..."

"... What?"

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

 **Observed: Thomas Grant**

 **Thomas Grant (Tomcat) Lv 20**

 **Protege – Wilder Cat**

 **Ability:** Therianthropy

Born to a witch of the same line that his father had gotten tangled up with in his heyday, Thomas Bronson is a skilled boxer and a rather impressive superhuman at the same time. While he may like his fish raw and a few more afternoon naps than most would consider normal, he is not one to be underestimated despite being only fifteen. He's also got a mean right hook, as you can tell.

 **Observed: Sonia Sato-Grant**

 **Sonia Sato-Grant (Judo) Lv 22**

 **Scion of Judomaster**

 **Ability:** Aversion Field

Daughter of the late Judomaster, Yoshio Sato, Sonia was raised by the Yakuza as the last of the traditional assassins her family once served as. Rescued by an out-of-costume Ted Grant while on vacation, she has since been adopted by the man and now considers herself a part of the Grant family. Try as hard as you want, you'll never hit her and you'll only tire yourself trying.

 **Observe Lvl Up!**

 **10→11**

 **Basic Martial Arts Lvl Up!**

 **4→8**

 **Fighting Style Gained!**

 **Boxing (Basic)**

 **Boxing (Basic)**

 _They say boxing is fighting, backed by technique. Prove them right._

 **Resistance: Blunt Force Lvl Up!**

 **20→21**

 **Reflexes Lvl Up!**

 **4→6**

 **VIT + 2**

 **\+ Grant Family Handwraps**


	19. Emergence 2-7

**Thanks to all my Patrons, first of all. An extra special thanks to the Betas who made this chapter possible. kenmadragon, Magus Zanin and Segev**

 **This chapter isn't really plot-heavy, mostly to display what Zeke's training looks like when he has some privacy instead of the simple implication of training as before or the hurried lifestyle of STAR Labs. Like, I told you, it used to be part of a larger chapter before I separated the two but it was too jarring as one piece. The second chapter is almost done and will be out [Insert Date Here] because _I've learned my lesson about giving deadlines._**

* * *

 **Emergence 2.7**

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

 **HAPPY HARBOR, RHODE ISLAND**

 **July 28, 2010**

 **9:22 EDT**

He wasn't surprised when Conner walked out to watch him.

Not really.

Conner often behaved a lot younger than the age he looked, spurred along by his curiosity more than anything else. The half-Kryptonian seemed to learn simply by observation of everything and everyone around him; keen blue eyes taking in so much of the world that he was still rather new to.

So, no, Zeke wasn't at all surprised when Conner made his way out of the cave, gaze locked on him from the moment he cleared the entrance. What was surprising was how quickly the clone caught up to him, Conner slowing his pace until he appeared to be almost walking compared to Zeke's hurried strides.

"Hey." Seemingly uninterested eyes locked onto his as Zeke glanced over at the taller boy to his right. This path through the forest surrounding Mount Justice was rather well-maintained, easily wide enough for several people to walk without touching any of the trees. A good thing too or Superboy's sudden rush forward might have seen a quick rise in Happy Harbor's logging industry.

"H-hey, Kon." Both syllables came out in rather hurried breaths, his lungs pushing himself just that extra bit to force out the words. "Wh-what's up?"

Conner didn't answer, simply continuing to watch him as he kept up that frighteningly _casual_ stride as he kept up with Zeke's twenty mile an hour jog. "Nothing."

That was the usual response, again something that didn't manage to surprise Zeke. At the least, it was certainly an improvement from the days not too long ago where the young clone would simply look skywards when presented with the question.

What again managed to surprise Zeke was Conner's reply. "What are you doing?"

Barely holding himself back from widening his eyes at his running partner's sudden interest, Zeke opened his mouth and responded with the first thing he could think of. "T-training."

That seemed to satisfy Conner's curiosity, at least for a few moments, before the clone spoke up yet again with another question. "Why are you wearing that bag?"

Zeke glanced back at the backpack in question, suddenly feeling the weight inside it a great deal more as Superboy called his attention to it again. It was heavy, yes, but not _too_ heavy; not so much that he couldn't maintain this pace at least. Adjusting the straps on his shoulders again, Zeke flashed Superboy a slightly tired grin.

"T-training."

 **July 30, 2010**

 **10:45 EDT**

Beads of sweat had built up on his brow over the last forty-five minutes, the fat, heavy drops just moments away from breaking free and trailing down his skin to merge with the damp mess that was his already-drenched shirt. Slick with sweat as much as the rest of him, his arms trembled like branches in a windstorm.

 _Push-ups aren't really all that hard_ , Zeke recalled the thought that had gone through his mind early yesterday morning, just shortly after finishing his Superboy-partnered run that seemed to be turning into an ongoing thing. _It was just lifting some of your body weight off the ground. Not much of a workout, really._

So, he had decided to turn it into more of one.

Two-hundred and fifty pounds rested on his back now, in the form of five solid weight plates sitting in the same backpack he used for jogging. Each individual plate was a solid fifty pounds, resulting in a total that was more than double the amount he used for his warm-up laps around the mountain.

His breath came in quick pants, arms struggling slightly to hold himself in the plank position that he had managed to maintain for the last ten minutes. Thirty minutes of non-stop pushups with this weight felt bad enough, but staying like this – stuck unmoving in an extended push-up – felt like _murder_. If he spared a moment to focus, he could feel his Will literally ticking down with each moment, his muscles literally screaming for release the longer he stayed like this.

Zeke could only thank whatever common sense he had rattling around in his brain that he hadn't gone with his original plan. If a load double his body weight was already killing him, starting off with three hundred pounds of the stuff would have had him in an early grave. Mr. Grant's advice seemed to ring in his head as he struggled to steady his breathing.

' _Make sure you don't push yourself too hard. You think I went from being a scrawny puke to_ _ **this**_ _in a couple days, runt? Nah, this stuff takes time._ '

He wasn't quite sure Wildcat would say starting with two-hundred pounds was "taking his time".

 _Still,_ he winced and let out a grunt, both arms suddenly weakening beneath him. _Too late now._

 **July 29, 2010**

 **1:15 EDT**

He had spent the first ten minutes of the hour face-down on the padded floor within one of the larger unused rooms within the cave; one that he had come to deem his "Fortress of Solitude". Mainly, because it was far enough from the main area of the cave that any minor noise was unable to disturb him but also due to the fact that it was also far enough away that no one could simply stumble across it without actively knowing where he was.

"Uggggh…" was the noise that left him as he finally raised his head from the ground. Staring blearily at the bare walls of the cave room, Ezekiel could only be thankful that the walls weren't mirrored like a great many of the exercise rooms within Mount Justice. He honestly had no desire to see how utterly worn out he looked after pushing himself to the limit. Training himself as hard as physically possible over the last few days, pushing himself and resting only when he could barely even move – his Will having been drained almost to the point of emptiness – and then getting up and doing it again could only be described as an inhuman idea when it came to exercise.

As a result, neither Miss Martian nor Superboy thought it was anything out of the ordinary.

The one good result of working himself to the brink of exhaustion and emptying his Will over and over was that meditation seemed to come so much easier, at least in one aspect. His lungs still burned, his arms and left felt entirely numb and his body felt so weak with his Will barely a spark of the burning flame it usually felt like, that his mana seemed to shine that much brighter in comparison, making it far easier for him to focus on the calming blue light within him.

Meditation was honestly a good deal easier now, at least compared to the relative struggle it had been at first with M'Gann having to walk him through it. This drained of all other energy, he could do it almost at a moment's notice, simply drawing his attention inwards to the strongest of the twin sensations he could feel deep within himself. Zeke wouldn't quite call it instant, but it was definitely faster than he would have imagined at the start.

Sitting up now, legs folded and both fists pressed together, he held himself in that half-asleep state that could only be described as meditation. His eyes were closed but that didn't keep him from _seeing,_ his mind's-eye easily able to visualize the cobalt blue river that was his mana.

This sort of internal focus seemed to come much easier when he only had to pay attention to one form; the cool nature of Mana so much more pliable than the denser, vibrant Willpower he used to enhance his speed, leaps or strikes. The longer he focused on it – noting how his mana seemed to flow slowly throughout his body unlike the tight way his physical energy seemed to clump together – the easier _manipulating_ it seemed to be.

 _Huh..._

 **July 31, 2010**

 **4:10 EDT**

Ezekiel opened his eyes, suddenly hyper-aware of the fact that he had just held the exact same position for most of the day. It was always like this when he let himself drift off while meditating. With an audible grunt, Zeke tried to get cramped muscles to obey as he pulled himself up from his lotus position, muscles audibly cracking as he did so.

A few seconds later, Zeke flexed his not-so-tired muscles and held up his right hand, eyes locked on his empty palm. He stared at it for a moment and then a moment more, recalling what he had first realized during a session like this two days ago.

He felt his palm tingle as he held up that hand even higher. Fingers curled up into a claw-like shape, a speck of blue light burst to life, quickly growing at an exponential rate until it took the shape of a baseball-sized sphere. He let out a grunt, not out of pain but from slight annoyance, as the tingling sensation only increased the longer he held it in his palm.

It felt rather uncomfortable, the power resisting his attempts to rein it in despite how much he tried to control it. Mana wanted to be free, to escape out into the world, that much Zeke he could tell every time he called on it. Much like his physical energy, it seemed to be at its most uncontrollable when he tried to bring it out; each one for its own reasons.

"Will snaps right back when I try to use it," he mused aloud, staring at the ball of energy as it seemed to bubble like a pot of water at boiling point. "But _mana_ … Mana wants to be free…"

Ezekiel's mouth dropped, the boy's eyes blinking as an idea suddenly hit him.

 _If this works…_ His shocked expression switched to an excited grin.

"Oh, we're getting somewhere now."

 **August 2, 2010**

 **6:10 EDT**

"You have reached the voicemail box of **'Cameron Scott'**. At the tone, please record your voice message. When you are finished recording, you may hang up or press Pound for more options." The air was silent for a moment, a calm pause as he tried to find the words.

"Hey, Cap- Nate." He couldn't help but wince at that slip-up, face twisted up for a second as he cringed at himself. _Almost called him Captain Atom on a public phone… genius._

Taking in another breath, he opened both eyes and spoke up again. "Hey, it's me… _Zeke_. Not that you didn't already know that but... uh… I just want to say thanks for the day trip yesterday. Um, I had fun and it was good training too… So, uhhhh, I was just calling to check in since you didn't pick up the video call from earlier. Also, the calls I left yesterday and the one before that and the one before that, I guess. Hope everything's going good with the… uh, _business._ "

A hand raised itself to the back of his neck, Zeke rubbing the spot between his left shoulder blade and jaw as he tried to come up with something else to fill the silence. When he couldn't think of anything else, he simply stifled a groan and spoke up again, voice much lower and words barely audible. "That's basically it, pretty much. See you soon." — _click_

His room in the cave was silent again, Zeke staring at the bare walls with a half-lidded stare as his S.T.A.R. Tab sat in his lap. " _Wow…_ " he finally managed to say. "Are voicemails always that awkward or is it just me?"

 **August 2, 2010**

 **7:10 EDT**

He swung.

Again.

Again.

Hands moved in a solid, steady rhythm as Zeke repeated the same set of punches that had been worked into him almost a week ago.

Not too fast, not too slow; both his upper extremities worked in sync as the young teenager patiently drummed the semi-pliable target in front of him with somewhat amateurish skill.

Tightly wrapped fists met the padded form of the combat dummy that served as his immobile opponent over and over in repeating rhythms.

Five evenings spent introducing the padded form of the combat dummy to his clenched fists over and over in repeating rhythms. The white hand-wraps he wore at Wildcat's insistence proved their worth each time they spared him extra pain when he chose to unleash a particularly vicious haymaker or uppercut.

 _Jab._

 **Again.**

 _Jab._

 **Right. Left.**

 _Jab._

 _ **One. Two.**_

Thousands of punches during five days of workouts like this had made the actions completely routine. Thoughts of Bane flitting through his mind during each and every one of these hour-long practice sessions had left him with almost endless amounts of raw frustration to use as motivation. The sheer casualness in how the muscle-bound drug lord had slapped him to the ground combined with the man's pure smug had provided Zeke with a goal, a level to surpass.

With that infuriating smile and mocking laugh spurring him on, he had pushed himself even further into his training over the last week. Increasing his weights day-by-day, running faster and further with Superboy at his side every other day, spending long hours hunched over and folded up in meditation…

It was a lot, yeah.

Still, he was on a team of heroes now. He couldn't let himself be the weak link, after all. He might be far from the strongest but that didn't mean he had to be the liability either. Zeke paused his onslaught of punches and slumped forward unto the combat dummy. Leaning atop the head of the featureless target, he wiped his brow with the back of his wrapped fists.

 _Almost there._

 **STR Up!**

 **31 → 45**

 **SPD Up!**

 **39 → 50**

 **VIT Up!**

 **38 → 44**

 **INT Up!**

 **38 → 42**

 **[Basic Martial Arts] Lvl Up!**

 **8 → 16**

 **[Acrobatics] Lvl Up!**

 **4 → 6**

 **[Meditation] Lvl Up!**

 **7 → 12**

 **[Mana Burst] Lvl Up!**

 **17 → 24**

 **[Power Leap] Lvl Up!**

 **5 → 10**

 **[Power Sprint] Lvl Up!**

 **11 → 16**

 **[Power Strike] Lvl Up!**

 **7 → MAX**

 **New Skill: [?]**


	20. Emergence 2-8

**SODAPOP1974:** _Thank you for that. I appreciate it. The story will start to diverge more and more from canon at this point, seeing as Zeke's interference will begin to change character dynamics and events in ways that I hope you'll enjoy. By the end of Season 1, the Team will be very different._

 **nameword:** _Thank you for that. I put in some work to make sure the grinding didn't seem boring and had some character elements to it._

 **Guest (Radamalama):** _I'm not gonna try and argue with you about any of your opinion on Chapter 18, I think? You're entitled to them, of course. The protagonist has been seeing results from his hard work but it's an upwards ramp. After all, we're literally still on episode four of Season 1 of YJ in terms of events so I don't know what you expect the character to really become when you should be at least somewhat familiar with the concept of what 'The Gamer' is._

 _He's being vague about it to Captain Atom because he doesn't want to come off badly towards his mentor. He wants to seem capable and not a liability._

 **"It doesn't need to be sugar-coated"**

 _Okay, that's what YOU believe. Not the MC._

 _He's literally 13 so I don't know how you can just throw out the word moron as if common sense and logical thinking is an inherent quality of young teenagers._

 _If the story is irritating to read, stop reading it. That's all you have to do. No one begged you to open and read this story for 18 chapters. That was all you. If I don't like something, I don't drudge my way through almost 20 chapters just to say "This is bad and you should feel bad."_

 _Christ._

* * *

 _ **ANYWAY... Thanks to everyone supporting me on with this and my other story. If you want to support me on there, it's (slash) zfighter18**_

 _ **I plan on rounding up Arc 2 of LiBag with at least 2 chapters a month before I get back to Greg Veder vs The World's Arc 6 or, as I've begun to think about it, the "** Fuse **" Arc in the sense that some more bombshells might go off because of what happens during it.**_

 **Thanks for reading**

* * *

 **Emergence 2.8**

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

 **HAPPY HARBOR, RHODE ISLAND**

 **August 1, 2010**

 **12:58 EDT**

"Ready for training, everyone?"

That had been the start of it all, Black Canary asking that simple question moments after making her way into the Cave with Martian Manhunter at her side. Canary strode over to the Team, coming to a stop in between the seven teenagers as the tiles beneath her feet began to turn white, forming a ring with her at the center.

"Black Canary?" Miss Martian was the first to react to the sudden appearance of both heroes, voice filled with both confusion and then excitement as she caught sight of the larger, _greener_ figure standing at the border of the newly-formed ring. "Uncle J'onn!"

With only those two syllables as warning, M'gann rushed up to her uncle, arms wrapping themselves around the older Martian in a hug that would likely leave most people gasping for air, at the least.

Zeke found himself unable to look away as the two aliens shared an embrace, a look of distinct unease on his face. For all that M'gann looked slightly inhuman with her green skin and all, Martian Manhunter looked a great deal more so. Looking at the two of them together was… _odd_ , likely for the varying differences in humanity on display.

That, _or_ Martian Manhunter just looked really creepy.

 _Probably the second, if I'm being honest._

The teen frowned at that second thought. _Oh crap, was that racist?_ His eyes suddenly widened at that, mouth narrowing into a small 'o'. _Double crap, did they hear me think that?_ He glanced over at both Martians and, to his relief, noted no red-eyed glares aimed his way. _Okay, I'm good._

"... not to mention, my own bruises."

Ezekiel turned his attention back to Canary as the blonde let out a slightly pained grunt. The League member carefully began to pry her jacket loose from her shoulders, exposing a large set of bandages wrapped firmly around her arm and informing Zeke exactly what that sound had been about.

Although, it did leave him with another question.

"What happened?" Thankfully, M'gann was there to ask what he didn't feel sure about about voicing, a worried tone to her voice as she spoke up.

Canary quirked an eyebrow at the sole girl on the team, the woman remaining silent for a second as if deciding what to say. "The job," she finally answered, voice bearing a note of finality to it as she tossed her denim jacket over her shoulder.

 _Don't ask about the arm._ Zeke nodded, getting the message loud and clear. _Got it._

"Now," Black Canary began again, "combat is about controlling conflict. Putting the battle on your terms. You should always be acting, never reacting. So..." The combat instructor paused, a small smile playing at her lips as she looked out over the gathered teenagers. "…which one of you wants to be my sparring partner?"

It was a simple question, one that both Robin and Wally had smirked at, the Boy Wonder looking eager while Wally looked… _eager._

"Right here. Yeah!" Kid Flash called out, half cheering as he answered Black Canary's request. Before anyone could stop him – and Aqualad actually made an attempt – the speedster had already met Canary in the center of the glowing ring. Patting his chest with one hand, Wally shot a shameless wink at the heroine across from him, following the action up with a smirk that was positively dripping in overconfidence. "After this, how about I show you my moves?"

 _Oh my God._ Zeke shook his head, barely suppressing a laugh of his own as he watched Robin preemptively cover his mouth with one gloved hand. _This is going to be amazing._

And boy, was it.

Literal seconds later, Kid Flash lay flat on the ground, the young speedster staring up at the ceiling of the cave with what could only be described as a pained expression as he let out a low groan. "Oh… hurts so _good._ "

As Wally picked himself off the ground and shuffled back out of the ring, Canary gave the Team a detailed lesson on exactly what the ginger had done wrong; starting from the way he approached the fight all the way down to his careless fighting stance. By the end of it, Wally was mimicking Superboy's stance – arms folded defiantly – but with an expression that looked more pouty than sullen.

* * *

 **[Basic Martial Arts] Lvl Up!**

 **16 → 17**

* * *

 _Huh._ Zeke glanced up at the pop-up with a curious expression, dropping his gaze back down to Black Canary as he suddenly found himself realizing that he _understood_ what she meant about Wally's stance. It was… _weird._

 _Like remembering something that I didn't really forget._

Pushing that odd realization to the back of his mind with a shake of his head, Zeke tuned back into Black Canary as she began to shift gears. "Now," Canary began once more, both fists on her hips as she spoke, "who wants to see what they can do better?"

"Better than Wally?" Robin snarked, brushing the side of his nose with his hand. "Pretty sure that's all of us."

"Dude!"

Ignoring Wally's outburst, Black Canary turned towards the rest of the team with a searching expression, gaze flicking over each one of them knowingly before locking gazes with a glowering Superboy.

 _Oh…_ Zeke's own eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen. _Oh no._

"Superboy!" Black Canary's smirk shifted slightly into an inviting smile, the leotard-wearing fighter putting up both her fists as the name left her mouth.

 _Oh no._

"How about a spar?"

Zeke winced as Superboy simply glared back at Black Canary with his mouth turned down in defiant scowl, arms crossed as he did his very best to look like he was anywhere else at the moment. While this wasn't exactly an unusual state for him, the clone had been a bit more on edge since he had stomped back into the Cave a few hours back, both Zeke and M'Gann confused as to what had happened.

Wisely, Zeke had convinced the Martian girl to give the seething clone some time to himself and space to get over what had very clearly riled him up. Thankfully, that seemed to have worked out for the best as Superboy had gone from seething to sullen, his murderous expression now more moody than anything else.

Still, as much as Zeke had the slight worry that Superboy could hurt Black Canary if his control slipped in a moment of pique, he couldn't help himself but dread how much angrier Superboy would be if the experienced Canary actually managed to beat the powerful clone. While that was doubtful, Zeke definitely wasn't going to let himself discount Black Canary's skill, considering what she had gone up against as a member of the Justice League _._ And that didn't even take into account who had trained her…

 _Oh, man._ The young boy barely held himself back from gulping out of nervousness. _Superboy's gonna be in a mood for days if he does actually lose._ _What do I do? What do I do? What do I…_

* * *

 **Mission Gained!**

 **Canary Combat**

 _Take on Black Canary's combat challenge in place of Superboy._

 _In doing so, push Black Canary into taking you at least somewhat seriously._

 **Success:** \+ 2 to **[Basic Martial Arts]** , + 1000 XP, Increased reputation with Superboy, Increased reputation with Black Canary

 **Failure:** Avoid Combat

* * *

 _Son of a…_

"Actually," Zeke took a step forward, hand raised like an eager student with a smile that was in no way real plastered across his face. "Miss Canary, could I go first?"

Black Canary shifted her gaze to the smaller figure standing next to Superboy, Zeke wearing a nervous smile as he glanced between her and Superboy. "I mean, you _don't_ mind, right?"

Canary leaned back slightly, arms dropping to her sides. For a few moments, she said nothing, simply looking at both Zeke and the still-glaring Superboy. Muttering something under her breath, the blonde responded with a simple, "No, not if he doesn't."

Zeke glanced back at the taller boy. "Superboy?"

"... sure." The word came out as more of a grunt than anything else, Superboy lifting his shoulders slightly in what could generously be termed a shrug. Looking down at Zeke, he jerked his chin at Black Canary, gesturing for the smaller boy to go on ahead.

Zeke responded with a thumbs-up. "Thanks, Supey."

"Whatever."

"I'll take that as a ' _good luck_.'" The dark-skinned boy jabbed that same thumb into his chest as he stepped into the ring with those words, Black Canary's curious gaze on him as his smile grew a tad more confident. Jumping from the edge of the ring into the center, both his sneakered feet made contact with the ground at the exact same moment an odd beeping noise seemed to ring throughout the cave.

 _What the-_ The thirteen-year old glanced around, quickly noting that Robin, Wally, M'gann and Kaldur seemed to look rather confused by the noise while Black Canary and the observing Martian Manhunter didn't seem to notice in the slightest. Superboy… well, Superboy just glared harder.

 _...Weird, I guess, but whatever._ Shaking his head, Zeke fixed his gaze on Black Canary, the blonde looking back at him with a curious expression on her face.

"Well, guess I'm up next then."

"Looks like it. That is.." Canary simply raised an eyebrow, the woman shifting her stance slightly. "If you think you're ready."

The thirteen-year old didn't respond at first, simply opening and closing his fists as he geared himself up for what would likely be almost as short a fight as Wally's, if somewhat less humiliating.

"Ready to learn?" he asked as his smile grew into a wide grin. Zeke raised his own fists in the same stance Wildcat and his kids had drilled into him roughly a week ago, wraps still tied around his hands from a recently-finished boxing drill. "Always."

While the rewards and potential outcome of the mission he had just accepted were a big reason behind actually going up against Black Canary, he couldn't deny that he also wanted to test himself against someone like her. While the woman was a metahuman, she wasn't one with a power that actually enhanced her physicals or made her any harder to take on in a fistfight like either of Wildcat's kids.

When it came to combat, the training – _read: beatings_ – he had gotten from the two Grant siblings last week combined with the simple but effective combat drills their father had instructed him in had become his main focus at least once a day. Every single day he had drilled himself in the basics of ' _the sweet science of bruising_ ' had left him feeling even more impatient and, frankly, far too eager to gift some unsuspecting baddie with an unexpected lesson. He might also have been just a little bitter _,_ having not seen or heard from the good Captain in over five days.

As annoying as that may have been for him, especially when he could see Kid Flash or Robin with their mentors just by turning on the TV, he could only take solace in the fact that he had it better than Conner; whatever was going on with him and Superman, it didn't seem to be pretty.

Alternating days of training had managed to keep his attention occupied; one day he'd spend reading, meditating, and focusing his energies and the next Zeke would double back down on training until his bones ached. Six days of training himself with the occasional oversight of Superboy and Miss Martian had been nice, and he certainly knew he had gotten stronger, which was a definite bonus. It was honestly insane how much he'd grown in the last couple of weeks, from being weaker than any kid his size to a good bit stronger than the average person.

Exactly how strong, though, he wasn't quite sure.

He had nothing to compare himself to still as using [Observe] on his teammates still didn't give him any tangible information he could use to measure himself, all of them still entirely blank to him. Despite all that though, Zeke was definitely eager to find out just how much stronger he had gotten; eager and more than a little impatient.

So, when an opportunity presented itself, how could he _not_ take it? _Observe._

* * *

 **Dinah Lance (Black Canary) Lv ? ?**

 **Gotham City Siren**

 **? ? ?**

 **? ? ?**

 **? ? ?**

* * *

 _Of course._ The young teen felt his mood fall at the sight of the question-mark filled screen. _Why do I even bother with this stupid skill?_

Considering that much like every member on his team, Black Canary was still entirely out of his range of detection, Zeke didn't even have it in his mind to try and beat the League member. _No, winning definitely isn't possible_. _Not against someone like her,_ he thought to himself, _Not in a fight like this._ He didn't even bother to hide the grimace on his face as he realized how out of his depth he still was. _Both Tommy and Sonia were more than double my level and I could see their details with Observe. What does that say about the rest of my team and Black Canary?_

The boy in blue shook his head as if to fight off the nerves he could already feel creeping up on him. _No, I can't win but if I don't rush in like an idiot… If I stick to the pl_ He brought up his fists again, this time in a defensive position as he stared back at a curious Canary, _I can last longer than Wally._

"You ready?"

Zeke raised his fists in front of his face, dropping into a well-practiced stance. Handwraps still tight around his fists from his training just minutes earlier, he threw out a few practice jabs before letting out a breath, possible strategies to avoid a five-second knockout still running through his mind. "Ready, ma'am."

* * *

 **Basic Training [Grant Family Handwraps]**

Grants a 5% increase in fist-based hand-to-hand skills when worn.

 **Tough Knuckles [Grant Family Handwraps]**

Mitigates 25% of [Blunt Force] damage taken when striking surfaces.

* * *

"Let's see what you've got, then." The words left Canary's mouth barely a single moment before she dropped into an entirely different stance, hands open and out in front of her as if preparing to grapple the boy in front of her.

 _Although,_ Zeke mused to himself, _considering what she did to Wally, that's probably exactly what she wants to do._ He allowed himself a moment to smirk at the thought of how laughably quick the speedster was taken down.

Only to immediately regret it.

 **-30**

 **-25**

Two sudden and unexpected bursts of pain sent error messages through Zeke's entire body, black spots filling his vision as his legs nearly gave out under him. The teen reeled back in shock as he took several ungainly steps in an attempt to catch his balance. That was much harder than it sounded, Zeke quickly realized, the world seeming to shake around him as he refocused his gaze on the tall blonde woman standing across from him with one fist stretched out.

Righting himself with a sudden lurch, he could only get out a single word as he cradled his aching forehead. " _Wha..._ "

Part of a word, at least.

"You let your guard down," she replied, not all answering his mostly-unasked question as she let a smirk grow across her face. "More specifically, you didn't keep your eyes on me. Always keep your eyes on your opponent." Her smirk grew into a smile, not quite mocking but not exactly innocent either. "Lesson learned?"

Zeke shook his head to center himself again and did his very best to ignore the sounds of laughter coming from at least two members of his team, one redhead in his eyes, he stared back at Black Canary, relaxing and clenching his fists as he settled on a new plan of attack against the experienced Leaguer. _So, that's how you wanna play it, huh?_ Loosening up for another attempt, he drew his hands up in front of himself again, both elbows tucked inward for a slightly more defensive approach. _I'll show_ _ **you**_ _a lesson._

"Lesson learned."

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

"Lesson learned."

Canary had to fight off a laugh as the words left the kid's mouth, his expression looking far more petulant than it did determined as he threw out a few jabs into the air. She pursed her lips as tightly as she could manage, doing her best not to lose it at the sight in front of her. Laughing would make her look like she was mocking him – _mocking them_ – and she couldn't afford that. She was here to be more than their combat instructor, after all. A slip-up like that would only make them shrink back.

Still, her job would be so much easier if someof them weren't so hilarious. She could deal with irritable muscle-heads like Superboy all day – she had trained with _the_ Wildcat, after all – but characters like Kid Flash and the newest one – Genesis – were almost too much for her. Genesis, in particular, was a character. He barely had to do anything and she could feel the laughter building inside of her.

Just looking at him – _Ezekiel_ , she reminded herself – was enough. Dinah could tell from the way he seemed to almost vibrate with nervous energy, the young sidekick switching his weight from leg to leg, that he had never actually thrown a _real_ punch at anyone before, not a punch actually worth being described as such.

Of course, she knew very well that he had spent an afternoon with both of Ted's kids the week before, but she had faced those two little monsters a while back and even then, she had to struggle to get a solid hit on either one of them, given how they were both superhumanly flexible and acrobatic in their own way. That in mind, she was sure _this one_ hadn't even managed to graze one of their hairs. _If he did, Ted would definitely have given me a heads-up._

From what the old man had told her, though, Ezekiel was a surprisingly quick learner, considering he managed to pick up the basics in half a day. Looking at him now, Dinah could see what the man meant up close; his form – while incomplete – was well-practiced. So practiced that she would have expected him to have been practicing it for over a month or two rather than a single week. _That… that is odd, actually. Something to bring up to Batman, at least._ She frowned at that, a sudden realization crossing her mind as she added, _As if he isn't already watching this right now._

Surprising skill or not, Dinah was honestly planning to go easy on the little guy… at least for today's lesson. She knew very well that he was the youngest and least experienced of the Team, and given everything Batman and Captain Atom had explained to the rest of the League, definitely out of his element and more than a little lost. Given how the little guy hadn't made a pass at her like Wally or given her attitude like Superboy, she didn't see any harm in letting this bout drag out a little just to boost his self-esteem.

She nodded at him, crooking two fingers in a beckoning motion that anyone even slightly interested in martial arts would have seen at least a dozen times. _Okay, kid, you can get a few shots in. Then, I'll put you on your back and we call it even._

The two circled each other on the glowing platform, Canary's smirk growing more prominent as Zeke's expression seemed to weaken in confidence. After a few more seconds of pointless circling, she quickly realized she would have to demonstrate another lesson if they were ever going to get anywhere. Taking several quick steps forward, Dinah threw a relatively slow jab at him, the movement telegraphed in a way that she could only tolerate during training.

She wasn't surprised when Genesis quickly ducked out of the way, eyes wild but focused as he threw a vicious barrage of punches aimed at her midsection. Of course, that was mostly because the kid didn't so much as telegraph his blows as he announced them with a loudspeaker, each punch as easily dodged as the last.

She parried a final punch away, returning her opponent's flurried strikes in the form of light jabs all over his torso with speed that the kid wouldn't be able to match without _years_ of dedicated practice. It wasn't anywhere near her best, but then again…

 _I'm not exactly at my best right now either,_ Dinah thought to herself as she suppressed the urge to rub her aching shoulder. _Should have taken Zatara's offer for a h-_

Blue eyes widened for a single instant as a glowing blur shot past where Dinah's face just _was_. Another golden blur rushed towards her but Canary was ready, eyes meeting Zeke's as the boy kept on pressing his sudden advantage. _I didn't say anything about powers._ The blonde barely held back a pained grunt, having caught a strong hook on her left arm before she could hurl back her attacker. _Lesson for next time._

Dinah grit her teeth before another sound of pain could slip out and drew herself into a more defensive stance, quickly dodging most of Ezekiel's frantic blows and expertly deflecting a few others. _Imbalanced pacing, unsteady legs, lack of spatial awareness,_ she frowned slightly as the thoughts flitted through her mind, _but the force to match a few pros on the circuit. And he's got the stamina to keep it up too._ The strikes sped up – not significantly – but enough that Canary actually had to put some effort into tracking each one as she avoided his blows.

 _I know he's got more than this in the tank,_ Black Canary mused to herself, blocking several of Zeke's blows with casual ease and returning with another jab that hit hard enough to knock the kid back a few paces. _I'd say he's trying to feel me out but he's the one on the back foot here._

"Is that all you've got, kid?" The teasing was slight, just something to probe at his ego, but it seemed to do the job. His blows grew even more hurried and even less composed, less a hail of punches and more a scattered rain. As practiced as his stance was, it didn't take a trained eye to see that the kid's form was lacking when it came to actually _moving_. Overextending himself on every hit, far too much force in what should have been quick jabs, and imbalanced pacing were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to his fighting problems. _Not exactly terrible, but far from good._

"Not even close," he bit the words out through gritted teeth, another crack in his composure showing as he devolved into throwing wild haymakers with golden fists aglow with light.

Another slight frown crossed Canary's face as she purposely took a hit to her guard, this time from disappointment rather than pain. _That's all it took?_ Canary lazily dodged a swing to the face, hopping backwards and retaliating with a slow punch to the jaw that Zeke just barely avoided, his eyes wide with shock. "Close enough."

Sure, the kid definitely hit harder than his frame would imply but that was literally the bare minimum for everyone on this team; Miss Martian, Aqualad and Superboy being the strongest of them all. Worst of all, he didn't have the raw speed behind his hits to make use of what force he could muster – and that was _including_ those glowing enhancements of his. Honestly, it w-

Dinah forced herself not to jump back, purposely holding back her instinctive reaction as the kid's body almost seemed to blur in front of her. Instead, she raised her hands and surged forward to catch Zeke's outstretched arm, preparing to end the match with a simple throw. _Sorry kid, playtime's o-_

" **[Power Sprint!]** "

Canary's eyes widened.

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

Zeke wasn't fighting as hard as he could have.

The punches he threw might not have been as fast as they could be, but they certainly had a good deal of force behind each one of them. Even more so when he wordlessly enhanced his fists with the yellow glow of a [Power Strike], evidence of his new mastery of the skill.

Judging by how she reacted to his hits and the way she could easily track him – not to mention her taunts – Black Canary knew that too. What she definitely didn't know was just how much he was holding back.

He had tested himself just this morning; two hundred meters from the mouth of the cave to a secluded copse in the opposite direction from his usual running path. It took him roughly eleven seconds, not even a full quarter of a minute. It wasn't enough time or ground to build up to his top speed but it was adequate enough for a short sprint. As far as he could tell, he could manage just a little bit under that when it came to even shorter distances; thirty-five…. _Maybe_ thirty-eight miles an hour if he pushed it.

Thing was, though, he _wasn't_.

And like he had hoped for, his sparring partner had gotten used to the speed he allowed himself to display, almost looking bored with what he tried to press her with. In fact, he knew that some of the hits that slipped past her guard were ones that she _allowed_ to hit her. She didn't consider him a threat in the slightest.

 _Perfect._

Like the mission screen had told him, he knew that he had no chance of beating Canary. The point was pushing her, making her take him at least _somewhat_ seriously. And what better way of pushing her was there than a sudden and unexpected…

" **[Power Sprint!]** "

It happened in an instant.

The very same moment he feinted to Canary's left was the same one in which the three syllables left his lips. Zeke felt the warmth rush through his legs as he kicked off the ground, his body immediately shifting from his twenty-five mile an hour pace into something nearing double that much as he aimed a glowing fist towards the older woman's midsection.

In hindsight, he should have taken into account exactly why Black Canary had been chosen as their combat instructor. Zeke had remembered just how good she was but just because she was a good fighter didn't mean she was a _perfect_ one. After all, people could be caught off guard, right?

 _Right?_

He saw it coming from the corner of his eye, her leg completely a blur as it cut through the air like a knife. _Wow…_ Unable to change direction, Zeke could only stare with widened eyes as he flew right towards the oncoming strike. _She_ _ **is**_ _good._

Black Canary's foot smashed into his stomach with all the force of a bat, Zeke's body bending in half around the limb for a fraction of a second. His eyes bulged as the wind left his body with a loud, guttural noise, and just like that, he was sent flying.

The sound of loud gasps hit his ears as the world spun around and around, lights above and below his head blurring into one giant mess. Zeke closed his eyes…

– **o – o – o – o – o – o – o –**

Only to open them again as a pained groan spilled out of his mouth with his first breath.

* * *

 **Status Effect: Concussion (Minimal) - 30 Minutes**

 **Status Effect: Rib Contusion (Mild) - 1 Hour**

* * *

 **VIT Up!**

 **44 → 45**

* * *

 **Mission "Canary Combat" Completed!**

\+ 2 to **[Basic Martial Arts]**

\+ 1000 XP

\+ Increased reputation with Superboy

\+ Increased reputation with Black Canary

* * *

Bleary eyes blinked away all four notifications, leaving Zeke staring up at the shadowy figures standing above him in a rough semi-circle and the rough artificial light searing his sensitive eyelids. "Did… did I win?"

The joke was met with a snort from at least one of the shadowy figures, said figure suddenly bending down to display Robin's masked, grinning face. "What do you think, buddy?"

"Yeah…" Zeke sat up slowly, shaking his head as he did so and unintentionally making his growing headache worse. "I figured." He glanced around with one eye shut, his team stepping back several paces to give him the space to pick himself up. "Where's Black Canary and _ughh…_ " He smushed a palm into his aching forehead, as if to rub away the pain. "...Martian Manhunter? Please tell me the answer to that question is getting ice."

Both Kid Flash and Robin let out laughs at that, Wally's coming off a good bit more mean-spirited than Robin's; an achievement in it's own right. It was Aqualad who – after shooting both boys stern looks – chose to answer Zeke's question. "The two League members have left to prepare for a mission, one which the Team will be sharing with them."

"Also," Miss Martian bent over slightly as well as she spoke up, "Black Canary said you did a very good job for your first session."

" _Yeah_ , but," Kid Flash added, a smirk on his face, "don't forget she also said that he should try not to be so predictable next time."

Robin's laugh at Wally's words only served to make the speedster's smirk grow. That is, until he actually spoke. "Says the combat expert. At least Zeke didn't only last all of three seconds."

" _Dude!_ "

Aqualad let out a slight sigh at the antics of his two younger long-time sidekicks before continuing, directing his words to both Robin and Wally. "Enough talk. We have a mission in less than six hours." Turning back to Zeke, he added, "We were just waiting for you to recover before we began our own preparations."

Zeke let out a slight snicker at that as he raised himself up to one knee, both chest and head pounding him with waves of pain. "I appreciate it, seriously," he remarked again, "but I'd also appreciate a nice ice pack right about now."

"Oh! Sorry, Zeke, I'll get you some ice!" M'gann jumped up at that – literally, in fact, as the Martian girl actually affixed herself in midair – before quickly flying away towards the kitchen.

Zeke stared off at Miss Martian as she darted away, a small smile on his face. " _She's so nice; it's honestly amazing,_ " he muttered to himself, slowly shaking his head as he turned back to Aqualad. "You said something about a mission?" he asked, tone far less positive as he began dreading the possibilities of a mission that would require the Justice League to request _their_ help.

"Yeah…" Superboy said with a scoff, speaking up in place of Aqualad. "The League wants us to take out their trash, like that's all we're good for… _picking up after_ _ **them.**_ "

"What?" Zeke glanced up at Conner, waiting for clarification. After a moment or two of sullen silence, he realized that wouldn't be forthcoming and glanced back over at Aqualad. Once again, the Atlantean was interrupted before he could explain.

"Yeah," Robin interjected, grin still on his face. "Some robot that the League smashed to pieces is still in some massive crater out in Connecticut. The League wants us to guard the trucks on their way to S.T.A.R. Labs."

Zeke felt his mood rise at Robin's words. "Oh, that... doesn't seem that bad, actually. But, wait…." He scrunched up his face as he rose to both feet, head still pounding. "If the robot's already toast, why does the League need us to guard it?"

Robin's grin jumped up several notches, looking almost evil as he laughed at Zeke's question. "The thing was built by Doctor Ivo, this old evil scientist guy with a thing for making badass super-bots, and the robot fought the League for a whole four hours before they took it down. We're just there to make sure it stays down if it wakes up, I'm guessing."

…

Zeke blinked.

Then he blinked again.

He opened his mouth, shutting it after another second and turning to stare at Aqualad as if to confirm that what Robin had just said was accurate. When the stoic Atlantean didn't correct a single thing the Boy Wonder had to say, Zeke let out a low noise of discomfort as he slowly turned to face Robin again.

"Please… please… pleasetell me you didn't just say Ivo," he begged the younger half of the Dynamic Duo, voice literally pleading. " _Please."_

"Why?" Kid Flash chimed in. "Something we should know about Ivo?"

Zeke opened his mouth to reply, only for said reply to turn into nothing more than a squeak as another pop-up appeared in his field of vision.

* * *

 **Mission Gained!**

 **Doctor Ivo's Amazing Android I**

 _Guard the remains of the dismantled A.M.A.Z.O. from those who would seek to steal, rebuild and reactivate the powerful android on it's path to S.T.A.R. Labs._

 **Success:** 25000 XP, Increased reputation with S.T.A.R. Labs

* * *

The thirteen-year old stared silently off into space for several moments. However long it actually was, it was long enough for Robin to notice, at least, as the other boy shook Zeke by the shoulder, expression looking concerned even with his domino mask in the way. "You okay, Z?"

"... define okay."


End file.
